AmeriCorps participants helping our community

While President-elect Obama is calling Americans to serve in a day of National Service to honor Martin Luther King Jr. this MLK holiday, local AmeriCorps Members are engaged in 10 months of service in Snohomish County.

The Snohomish County AmeriCorps Program, a program of the Workforce Development Council Snohomish County, is joining more than 70,000 people nationwide in completing a term of national service. The members of our local program are halfway done with their 10-month service year. In just five months, 16 members have provided leadership and development activities to more than 900 at-risk teens in local schools and nonprofits. Members have involved more than 350 adults, youth, baby boomers and college students in more than 2,700 hours of volunteer activities in Snohomish County.

These numbers are impressive. What is even more impressive is that youth report increased leadership and development skills and more commitment to their community as a result of working with their AmeriCorps Program member. Those community members who volunteer alongside members report that they will volunteer again. Members report that they are developing tremendous skills as a result of serving their community. The AmeriCorps Program members in our community are changing lives and adding to the spirit of service and volunteerism in Snohomish County.

AmeriCorps Program members go about their service with passion, enthusiasm and grace, all while living on an extremely modest living allowance. Their accomplishments and positive attitudes are to be applauded.

Members come from all walks of life. Many move on to careers in social services while others head back to school to earn graduate degrees. The 2009-2010 service year begins this September. Please visit www.wdcsc.org/americorps if you are interested in getting involved.

Thank you to anyone who has ever worn an AmeriCorps logo, for recognizing and living out your world, your chance to make it better!

Julie Houghton

AmeriCorps Program Director