AVANCE-El Paso is pleased to announce supplementary federal funds will be coming to their region thanks to the support of the OneStar Foundation. An additional $134,532 has been awarded to AVANCE-El Paso to increase the AmeriCorps operations in the Parent-Child Education Program. This announcement comes less than one month from the first award from the OneStar Foundation (original release below).
A total of $930,960 has been awarded to AVANCE-El Paso to engage a total of 70 AmeriCorps members (58 in El Paso and 12 members in Dallas). The OneStar Foundation funding will help leverage an additional $601,010 from local school districts and private foundations.
Additionally, thousands of dollars in both child care and scholarship funding will be coming to the El Paso area due to the one of the benefits made possible for the AmeriCorps members through the grant: AmeriCorps members are eligible to receive a child care benefit to pay all or part of their child care costs and members receive $5,550 in an educational award to pursue a degree of higher education. Many of the current and past AmeriCorps members are currently utilizing their educational dollars both at El Paso Community College and the University of Texas at El Paso.
?The opportunity the OneStar Foundation has provided AVANCE is priceless,? said Taylor L. Moreno, Executive Director, AVANCE-El Paso. ?AVANCE-El Paso now has the ability to put an additional 10 individuals to work through this national service project. During their year with AVANCE, the AmeriCorps members will gain vital workforce skills, while at the same time giving back to the community through their service with our program and working towards obtaining their educational award to pursue their dreams of a higher education.?
All members will play a vital role in AVANCE?s mission of closing the educational gap amongst low-income Hispanics in El Paso and Dallas. The solution is a family focused education program that provides young children with the early stimulation they need, trains parents to be their child?s first and most important teacher, and provides ESL and GED classes for parents to better their economic and educational station in life. The vast majority of AmeriCorps members who are recruited and enrolled are former AVANCE parenting and GED graduates.
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ORIGINAL RELEASE
June 20, 2012 ? The OneStar Foundation announced that AVANCE-El Paso has received $796,438 in an AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The grant will support 48 AmeriCorps members in El Paso and 12 AmeriCorps members in Dallas who will engage in early literacy interventions and participate in the early childhood development program at AVANCE while recruiting hundreds of volunteers in both communities.
Funding from the OneStar Foundation is being distributed to AVANCE after being selected in a highly competitive statewide and national process. The current year?s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive, due to the strong and growing demand by organizations seeking AmeriCorps resources. Demand is also strong from individuals wanting to serve. CNCS received a record-breaking 582,000 AmeriCorps applications in 2011, a dramatic increase from the 360,000 seen in 2009.
?AVANCE is honored to continue our partnership with OneStar Foundation and AmeriCorps,? said Taylor L. Moreno, Executive Director, AVANCE-El Paso.? ?Since the inception of the AVANCE AmeriCorps program in 2006, AmeriCorps members have played a vital role in the early childhood development services we offer to families throughout the region.? We would not be able to serve the thousands of parents and children if it were not for our AmeriCorps team.? Our members are changing lives of El Paso?s youngest residents, children birth to four years old.?
?National service is an essential part of the solution to many of the social challenges facing our communities,? said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO. ?These AmeriCorps members will meet pressing local needs and strengthen Texas communities as they develop civic and leadership skills that can last a lifetime.?
The AVANCE grant advances the priorities of the bipartisan 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and focus AmeriCorps resources on many of the key service areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, and healthy futures.
Since 2006, 237 AmeriCorps members have provided more than 317,000 hours of service to the El Paso community through AmeriCorps.?? The funding made available this year through the OneStar Foundation will allow AVANCE to leverage an additional $517,438 in matching funds.
The inclusion of the AmeriCorps program within the Parent-Child Education Program allows former AVANCE parenting and GED graduates the opportunity to pursue a one-time unachievable dream of an education through their service as an AmeriCorps member. After successful completion of service within the AVANCE AmeriCorps program, members will receive an educational award of $5,550 to continue their education at an institute of higher education, positioning them to enter into the El Paso workforce.
Dr. Glendelia Zavala, the Chief Program Officer of AVANCE National explains, ?Part of our family intervention model is developing the parents? job skills and helping them become career-ready. This partnership with AmeriCorps and the OneStar Foundation in El Paso and Dallas is wonderful! Our goal is to partner with AmeriCorps at all AVANCE chapters and partner sites across the nation. I want all our families to have this special opportunity to serve as role models and continue the path toward reaching their full potential.?
The story of Cynthia Roman is the perfect example of how AVANCE is transforming lives with the inclusion of the AmeriCorps program.? Cynthia enrolled in the AVANCE Parent-Child Program and the GED classes thanks to direction from her sister-in-law.? Upon enrolling, she immediately saw a new future for her and her three children.? Cynthia enjoyed being a part of the program because while her children were attending the early childhood development classes, she was given the opportunity to continue her education.? After receiving her GED with AVANCE, Cynthia applied to serve as an AmeriCorps member.? Her service with AmeriCorps has encouraged her to accomplish her personal and educational goals while at the same time allowing her to serve as a role model for her children.
?AmeriCorps can make the difference in the future of many families, said Cynthia Roman, AVANCE-El Paso AmeriCorps member.? ?The opportunity to pursue an education and teach your kids the importance of an education is possible with AVANCE and AmeriCorps. I would like to pursue a college education.? I feel proud being part of the AVANCE team.? My time as an AmeriCorps member has given me experience, knowledge, and satisfaction.? I look forward to helping others achieve their personal and educational goals. I want to make a difference in other families.?
About AVANCE-El Paso
AVANCE-El Paso is a community-based, nonprofit organization that provides family support and education services to at-risk, economically impoverished families.? The program works with both the parent and the child in order to have a profound impact on the whole family while working to create a world where children and parents can advance to their potential.? The most recent school year, AVANCE-El Paso served more than 1,500 parents and children through the Parent-Child Education Program located within 20 schools throughout four school districts in the El Paso region.
About OneStar Foundation
OneStar Foundation is the Governor-designated National Service Commission in Texas and administers the AmeriCorps*State grant program. The Governor-appointed Board members oversee the legal and policy governance of the AmeriCorps*Texas program portfolio. OneStar Foundation connects partners and resources to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service each year and administers President Obama?s national service initiative United We Serve.?? Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.
Source: http://www.avance.org/2012/07/onestar-foundation-awards-additional-funding-to-avance-el-paso/
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