Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Bring Additional Resources to New York

National Service history was made during the Spring of 2009 with the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (Click here to view the full bill) . As a result, a proposed $5.3 billion in federal funding will support the expansion of national service programs like AmeriCorps, SeniorCorps and Learn & Serve America while providing critical funding and resources to community based organizations that use volunteers to fulfill their mission.

Click here for a detailed summary of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and the bill language provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act reauthorized national service for the first time in nearly 15 years. This bi-partisan legislation has been heralded as being once-in-a-generation legislation. President Obama was instrumental in its passage, pushing to sign it during his first 100 days in office. At the Bill signing, President Obama said the following,

"We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be. That's for you to discover. But I'm asking you to stand up and play your part. I'm asking you to help change history's course, put your shoulder up against the wheel. And if I - if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century."

The Serve America Act goes into effect on October 1, 2009. The major national achievements of the Act are:

• Dramatically increases intensive service opportunities by setting AmeriCorps on a path from 75,000 positions annually to 250,000 by 2017, and focusing that service on education, health, clean energy, veterans, economic opportunity and other national priorities. Ties the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to the maximum Pell Grant level (now $5,350, but set to increase over time).
• Improves service options for experienced Americans by expanding age and income eligibility for Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions, authorizing a Silver Scholars program, under which individuals 55 and older who perform 350 hours of service receive a $1,000 education award, and establishing Serve America Fellowships and Encore Fellowships allowing individuals to choose from among registered service sponsors where to perform service. Also permits individuals age 55 and older to transfer their education award to a child or grandchild.
• Enables millions of working Americans to serve by establishing a nationwide Call to Service Campaign and a September 11 national day of service, and investing in the nonprofit sector’s capacity to recruit and manage volunteers.
• Creates a Social Innovation Fund to expand proven initiatives and provide seed funding for experimental initiatives, leveraging Federal dollars to identify and grow ideas that are addressing our most intractable community problems.
• Establishes a Volunteer Generation Fund to award grants to states and nonprofits to recruit, manage, and support volunteers and strengthen the nation’s volunteer infrastructure.

New York’s Governor David Paterson strongly supported passage of the bill during the past year, joining with California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to draft a letter of support that was signed by 21 governors and sent to members of Congress.

“As we work to overcome the greatest fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, the value of this historic support for volunteer service in New York State cannot be underestimated,” Governor Paterson said. “Community service is an integral part of empowering citizens and making our communities stronger. Throughout history, those citizens who responded to the call to action are the ones who have inspired others and made a lasting impact – whether by tutoring youth in local neighborhoods or responding to disaster efforts in other countries. I applaud President Obama and Congress for the passage of this landmark legislation which will make a difference in the lives of so many New Yorkers and Americans.” Governor Paterson’s Press Release is available HERE

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) also immediately provided increased opportunities for National Service in New York State. Nearly $7.3 million was awarded to 31 existing New York State AmeriCorps programs! Grant funding will be overseen by the State Commission on National & Community Service and will offset program matching expenses and place an additional 821 AmeriCorps members in recovery-related service activity. To view AmeriCorps opportunities in New York State, please search for opportunities at the top of this page.

The following agencies received ARRA AmeriCorps funding: Rural Health Network, Monroe Community College, Genesee County Youth Bureau, The Academy For Career Development - Help Tech, Albany United Methodist Society, Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau, Rockland County Youth Bureau, SEEDCO, Wayne County Action Program, Community Health Care Assoc. of NYS, Academy for Career Development - Next Steps, RF SUNY Cortland, West Seneca Youth Bureau - ABLE, Grand Street Settlement, Oswego City-County Youth Bureau, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc., The After School Corporation - Teach After 3, Town of West Seneca - Service Corps, Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation, Inc. The Belle Center, Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, Yeshiva Kehilath Yaakov, Public Allies, Inc., City Year, Inc., Groundwork, Inc., Family Service of Westchester, Inc., Student Conservation Association, Inc., Phoenix House - Substance Abuse Program, The Institute For Human Services, Inc., Pace University (CVM), Troy Housing Authority, and RF SUNY/SUNY Stonybrook