Governor Rendell Encourages Citizen Service, Thanks 28,000 Pennsylvanians at Start...

Governor Rendell Encourages Citizen Service, Thanks 28,000 Pennsylvanians at
Start of National AmeriCorps Week

Events Statewide Mark Expansion of Service Program

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell
today proclaimed this week as National AmeriCorps Week in Pennsylvania and
thanked the more than 28,000 young Pennsylvanians who have given more than
35.8 million hours of citizen service to the program since 1994.

"Our commonwealth is grateful to these young men and women, who have helped to
improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens, strengthen our
education system, protect our environment, enhance public safety and improve
key historic and recreational attractions," said Governor Rendell. "Through
their invaluable citizen service, they have strengthened their communities and
their own skills while inspiring other young people to contribute."

AmeriCorps members will be celebrated at events across Pennsylvania this week.
Major events are planned for May 12 in Pittsburgh and May 14 in Philadelphia,
where Karen Kaskey, executive director of PennSERVE: the Governor's Office of
Citizen Service, will present Governor Rendell's National AmeriCorps Week
proclamation. PennSERVE administers and distributes approximately
three-quarters of AmeriCorps grant funding in Pennsylvania. The remainder is
distributed by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service
directly to national organizations in the state.

"AmeriCorps, and other Corporation for National and Community Service programs
such as Learn and Serve America, SeniorCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA, provide
highly effective ways to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in
citizen service," said Governor Rendell. "Now, as AmeriCorps expands through
the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, both signed into law by President Obama, Pennsylvanians have
even more opportunities to take part."

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act expands AmeriCorps nationally from
75,000 to more than 250,000 participants a year by 2017. The American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act includes $201 million in economic stimulus funding to
support the expansion of AmeriCorps State and National Programs.

In Pennsylvania, there are approximately 3,200 AmeriCorps members currently
serving more than 200 organizations. Upon the completion of their service,
members receive an AmeriCorps Education Award of up to $4,725 to pay for
college, graduate school or to pay qualified student loans. During their
service, members may receive a living allowance, health coverage, child care,
training and student loan deferment. Members who serve part-time receive a
partial education award.

Beginning in October the education award will increase to $5,350, and people
age 55 and older can earn $1,000 education awards that they can transfer to a
child, grandchild or even someone they've mentored. Additionally, students in
grades 6-12 can earn a $500 education award for helping in their communities
in a new summer program.

"In a recession, service programs like AmeriCorps become an even more valuable
resource for participants to gain skills and money for their education, and
for nonprofit organizations to gain helping hands they desperately need," said
Governor Rendell. "Events taking place across the commonwealth this week
highlight the constructive work being done throughout the year by
Pennsylvanians engaged in citizen service."

To learn more about AmeriCorps grants and service projects in Pennsylvania, go
online at www.dli.state.pa.us, keyword: PennSERVE.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Following is a list of major events taking place:

Philadelphia
Wednesday, May 13 - Communities in Schools of Philadelphia's Digital Service
Fellows will partner with St. Charles Senior Community Center, 1941 Christian
St., South Philadelphia, to celebrate intergenerational volunteerism from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. Projects include an outdoor garden, game tournaments and
computer literacy training for seniors.

Thursday, May 14 - All Philadelphia AmeriCorps programs will be represented at
the city's National AmeriCorps Week rally from 8 to 9 a.m. at Winchester
Recreation Center, 2332 N. 15th St., between Dauphin and York streets, North
Philadelphia. Following the rally, AmeriCorps members and their friends can
tackle any of the more than 100 service opportunities that have been scheduled
for the day.

Karen Kaskey, executive director of PennSERVE: the Governor's Office of
Citizen Service, will present Governor Rendell's National AmeriCorps Week
proclamation. Students from YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School will
install green playground equipment and a mural at the center. The playground
was built and the mural painted during the 2009 Martin Luther King Day of
Service.

Friday, May 15 - AmeriCorps members and students from Bethune Elementary
School will work on beautification projects at the EducationWorks building,
3149 Germantown Ave, at 3:30 p.m., and afterward at the school, 3301 Old York
Road.

Pittsburgh
Tuesday, May 12- All Pittsburgh AmeriCorps programs (KEYS Service Corps,
Pittsburgh Health Corps, Public Allies, JumpStart and Literacy*AmeriCorps)
will gather for the National AmeriCorps Week Rally in Market Square, Downtown,
from noon to 1 p.m. The event will feature live music along with guest
speakers including government officials, AmeriCorps alumni and representatives
of local nonprofit agencies. AmeriCorps programs will sponsor informational
booths to recruit new members and recognize current members and alumni. The
rally will be followed by an all-corps beautification project Downtown in
conjunction with the Downtown Partnership and the Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy from 1 to 3 p.m.

Friday, May 15 - KEYS Service Corps will join Pittsburgh Friends of the
Riverfront in a river stewardship cleanup from 5 to 8 p.m. on the Strip
District Trail along the Allegheny River. Volunteers will remove invasive
plant species and plant and tend to native trees and shrubs.

Centre County
Wednesday, May 13 - CentreSERVE members will sort material for the annual
Trash to Treasure event at Beaver Stadium from 1 to 4 p.m. Trash to Treasure
is a May 30 giant yard sale of all the things Penn State students leave behind
in dorms when the school year ends. The sale benefits the local United Way.

Clarion County
Saturday, May 16 - Knox-based KeystoneSMILES AmeriCorps members will help,
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oil City YMCA in a spring cleanup and upgrading at
Camp Coffman, located on Camp Coffman Road, off U.S. Route 322, west of
Shippenville. The Keystone SMILES AmeriCorps program encompasses a national
service network that includes nine counties in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Mercer County
Friday, May 15 - KeystoneSMILES AmeriCorps members will mentor youth in a
House of Trades rehabilitation project of a home at 311 Wallace St., Farrell,
beginning at 10 a.m. Mercer County Housing Authority provide the house for a
service and learning lab.

Union, Snyder counties
Thursday, May 14 - CORE Susquehanna, in conjunction with the Union-Snyder
Community Action Agency, will host a poverty simulation from 9:30 a.m. to 1
p.m. at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, 116 Fairview Drive, Selinsgrove.
Participants will take on family roles in a simulated month of family life in
a low-income scenario. Registration is at 9 a.m.

Venango County
Wednesday, May 13 - KeystoneSMILES AmeriCorps members will hold an 11 a.m.
reception for their new House of Trades project at the Emlenton Mill, which
was built in Emlenton in 1875 by James Bennett and was one of the first steam
powered grist mills in Pennsylvania.

CONTACT:
David Smith, L&I
717-787-7530

Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

David Smith of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry,
+1-717-787-7530; or Chuck Ardo of the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,
+1-717-783-1116