FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            

DATE: March 31, 2014                                                   

CONTACT: Elizabeth Darling,   512-287-2062, liz@onestarfoundation.org

AUSTIN, TX — Tomorrow, April 1^st, 124 mayors across the State of Texas will be among 1,760 mayors nationally to join together in recognition of the impact national service participants in AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs have made on their local communities.

Given the many social needs facing communities – and the fiscal constraints facing government at all levels – mayors are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet city needs.

The second annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service is a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service in cities, to thank those who serve, and to encourage citizens to give back to their communities.   The day is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the National League of Cities, Cities of Service, and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Scott Smith, Mayor of Mesa, Arizona. CNCS is the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps.

In Texas, the initiative is being coordinated by CNCS’s Texas State Office in partnership with OneStar Foundation, which serves as Texas’ National Service Commission.

“We are proud to be part of the national service family and grateful for the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members who are getting things done for Texas,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO of OneStar Foundation, which administers $12 million in AmeriCorps*State grants to nonprofits each year.  “Our AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members have made a significant impact on Texas’ ability to meet so many local needs, and the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service is a perfect opportunity to recognize their great work.”

This year, more than 26,000 national service members of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement in Texas through AmeriCorps and Senior Corps (Texas National Service Profile, 2013-14). Serving at more than 3,200 locations throughout the state, these citizens tutor and mentor children, assist the elderly, support veterans and military families, provide health services, restore the environment, respond to disasters, increase economic opportunity, and recruit and manage volunteers.

Participating mayors will do site visits, assist with service projects, present proclamations, and host celebrations. Highlights of the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service in Texas include events in the following cities:

• Amarillo – Mayor Paul Harpole will present a Proclamation and participate in a service project on April 1^st at 10:00am alongside Senior Corps RSVP and Amarillo Independent School District AmeriCorps members at the Snack Pak warehouse (909 SE 2nd Ave., Amarillo, TX 79102) to prepare cases of food for a weekend food program.

• Austin – Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Chief Service Officer Sly Majid will host a ceremony at City Hall on April 1^st at 11:00am for a celebration of national service. The event will be held in the Council Chambers. Free parking is available in the City Hall Garage. Leaders and distinguished guests will be present to recognize the value of national service in Austin. Attendees must arrive by 10:45am and bring a picture ID.

• Corpus Christi – Mayor Nelda Martinez will present national service volunteers with a certificate and a lapel pin at a ceremony on Apri1 1^st at 8:00 am at the Congressman Solomon Ortiz International Center (402 Harbor Drive). More than 200 volunteers are expected to attend.

• Dallas – Mayor Michael Rawlings will present a Proclamation recognizing national service volunteers in Council Chambers at the April 2^nd City Council Meeting, Dallas City Hall (1500 Marilla Street, Briefing Room 6ES) at 9:00am.

• El Paso – Mayor Oscar Leeser will present a televised Proclamation recognizing national service volunteers at the April 1^st  City Council Meeting (300 N. Campbell) beginning at 8:00am.

• Fort Worth – Mayor Betsy Price will participate in two events on April 1^st: a special recognition event at 4pm at Cornerstone Assistance Network (3500 Noble Avenue) and a Proclamation presentation at 7pm in the Council Chamber at City Hall (1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, Texas).

• Houston – Mayor Annise Parker will host a proclamation presentation at City Hall on April 1^st in the Council Chambers. Attendees must arrive by 1:15pm and bring a picture ID.

• Texarkana – Mayor Bob Bruggeman will host a joint meeting with his Arkansas Mayoral counterpart on April 1^st at 11:00 a.m. at the Bi-State Justice Building (100 State Line Avenue) in Texarkana, during which the Mayors will read a joint proclamation thanking national service volunteers for their participation in the local community.

In addition to the Texas cities that will be hosting events, many other Texas municipalities will be celebrating April 1^st or throughout the month of April with a Proclamation or in other ways. A full list of participating Texas mayors can be found here.

“I am proud to be working with Mayors across America as we continue to strengthen communities through national service,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  “Mayors are leaders who get things done.  They know firsthand the value of national service in tackling city problems.  I commend the participating Mayors for working with us to improve lives and strengthen communities through national service.”

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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. For more information, visit onestarfoundation.org.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: April 21, 2014

CONTACT: Jamie Larson Camargo, Motive Communications, 512.296.9611, jamie@motive-communications.com

Click here for a PDF version of this Press Release.

AUSTIN, TX – Every day in communities across America, AmeriCorps members are making a powerful impact on the most critical issues facing our nation. Whether improving schools, fighting poverty, rebuilding after disasters, providing health services, preserving the environment, or supporting veterans and military families, AmeriCorps members are getting things done.

Since its inception in 1994, more than 830,000 men and women have taken the AmeriCorps pledge, serving more than one billion hours and improving the lives of countless Americans. 

OneStar Foundation, a Governor-appointed commission, utilizes the power of AmeriCorps to address some of Texas’ most challenging and pressing needs. This year, more than 4,500 AmeriCorps members will serve through 116 nonprofits, schools, and community groups across Texas.  Since 1994, more than 45,000 Texas residents have served 59 million hours and earned more than $122,950,000 in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to help pay for college or pay back student loans.

As AmeriCorps marks a major milestone, celebrating its 20th anniversary, the “I Want to Join AmeriCorps” will help encourage more Americans to join AmeriCorps and make a difference.

Watch the 60-second PSA at www.nationalservice.gov/newsroom/marketing/videos-and-psas. The PSA is also available in Spanish and :30 and :15 lengths:

For more information on AmeriCorps in Texas, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/impact-our-nation/state-profiles/tx.

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AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for service and volunteering. CNCS annually engages more than five million citizens in service at more than 60,000 locations in 8,500 cities across the country through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other programs.  National service participants address the most pressing challenges facing our cities and nation, from educating students for the jobs of the 21st century and supporting veterans and military families to preserving the environment and helping communities recover from natural disasters. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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. For more information, visit onestarfoundation.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                CONTACT: Elizabeth Darling

DATE: March 13, 2014                                                                         512-287-2062, liz@onestarfoundation.org

OneStar Foundation Awards Grants to Texas Organizations for Generating Volunteers in Times of Disaster

2,000 volunteers to be trained to meet state and local needs

AUSTIN, TX — OneStar Foundation announced today that four (4) organizations in Texas have received Volunteer Generation Fund grants as part of the new Texas Disaster Volunteer Generation Initiative (TDVGI).

OneStar Foundation will distribute more than $153,000 in funding to organizations selected in a highly competitive statewide process to support the effective recruitment, training, and management of 2,000 community volunteers across the state who will serve local Texas communities during times of disaster.

“Volunteers are an essential part of disaster preparedness, response and recovery here in Texas,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO. “Government and nonprofits just can’t do it alone. With a state as large as ours, we need ‘all hands on deck’ to ensure our Texas communities are prepared for and recover quickly from hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters that come our way. Volunteers are a powerful force for good when organizations have the resources to invest in training and managing them well.”

Below is a listing of TDVGI grants awarded for 2014:

• BCFS Health and Human Services (San Antonio, TX) – $44,270 to support volunteer generation in Bexar County

• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fort Worth Inc. – $35,135 to support volunteer generation in Archer, Baylor, Clay, Foard, Hardemann, Knox, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger, Young Counties

• The Salvation Army, a Georgia Corporation (Texas Divisional Headquarters) – $25,807 to support volunteer generation in Taylor, Hale, Bexar, Harris, Dallas, Angelina, Ellis Counties

• Volunteer Center of North Texas – $48,205 to support volunteer generation in Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Tarrant Counties

Texas is one of only 13 states to receive Volunteer Generation Fund grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The Texas Disaster Volunteer Generation Initiative, administered by OneStar Foundation, will strengthen the State of Texas’ infrastructure and ability to harness the potential of unaffiliated, spontaneous and other community volunteers generated in times of disaster through increasing the capacity of volunteer connector organizations and their partners. This initiative will benefit from OneStar’s strategic partnerships with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TX VOAD), the Texas Association of Volunteer Centers (TAVC), and the University of Texas at Austin’s RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service.

By the end of 2014, OneStar and its grantees and partners will have collectively recruited and trained 2,000 disaster volunteers who will contribute at least 1,000 hours of service in total to Texas communities.

###

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. For more information, visit onestarfoundation.org.

This project is funded by a grant from the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) under Grant #13VGHTX001. The mission of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering. CNCS—through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs, Volunteer Generation Fund and Social Innovation Fund—has helped to engage millions of citizens in meeting community and national challenges through service and volunteer action. CNCS seeks to direct the power of national service to solve a common set of challenges, expand opportunities for all Americans to serve, build the enduring capacity of individuals, organizations, and communities to effectively use service and volunteering to solve community problems, and embrace innovative solutions that work. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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The Monitor, a Texas regional newspaper dedicated to covering news in the Rio Grande Valley, recently published an Op-Ed co-authored by OneStar President/CEO Elizabeth Darling and Teach for America-Rio Grande Valley Executive Director Robert Carreon.

See the original publication at http://www.themonitor.com/opinion/columnists/article_00033058-9b5d-11e3-b0bd-001a4bcf6878.html.

Posted: Monday, February 24, 2014 12:15 am

Texas is known for many things — our hats, deep love of the land, and everything being just a tad bigger and better. We’re fortunate to have a strong and rich identity, and while not all of us don a Stetson, there are certain undeniable traits that unite us all. Here in the Valley, we share a commitment to family and community that forms a shared culture of service.

Last year, nearly2,000 Texans served through AmeriCorps Texas, the national service network that helps dedicated individuals address our nation’s challenges through public service. These committed citizens supported 20 organizations across 544 partner sites throughout the state, amounting to 2.3 million service hours. Their hard work makes Texas one the biggest service states in the nation.

As leaders of AmeriCorps Texas, our state’s governing AmeriCorps body, and Teach For America-Rio Grande Valley — an education nonprofit serving high-need schools and an AmeriCorps program — we’ve seen firsthand how our communities are made stronger through service.

For example, through the Student Leadership Fellowship, a program launched by a Teach For America staff member and local teachers, close to 100 students from across the Valley are participating in a series of leadership trainings this school year. Thanks to dedicated teachers from all backgrounds — many of whom are AmeriCorps members — leading the monthly meetings, these students are spending their weekends learning to be leaders in their own community.  As the second half of the school year gets under way, the students are tackling Valley issues through community action projects.  You may have seen the projects created by last year’s student leadership fellows in action. They created projects to meet a range of community needs like helping to make bus routes safer, fundraising for sick classmates, and starting up anti-bullying campaigns at their school.

We encourage Texans to follow their example and commit to making service a part of their individual and community identities.

We have an incredible foundation to build on — yet there’s so much more to be done. Here in the Valley, 37 percent of residents live below the poverty level, compared to 14 percent nationwide. Our communities face the complex challenges that accompany poverty — impacting education, health, and economic opportunity.

While our schools have made commendable progress increasing graduation rates in the past several years, students who graduate from our high schools are consistently under-performing their peers across the state and nation on measures of college readiness, contributing to only 13 percent of residents who are 25 and older holding a college degree. Unemployment hovers around 10 percent. South Texas rates of obesity and diabetes surpass the Texas and national averages.

Community organizations like Valley Interfaith, Habitat for Humanity and the Llano Grande Center are working to combat these issues. By expanding opportunities and improving outcomes, they are helping to build stronger, healthier communities. We have made great strides but have more work before us. We must harness the energy and ingenuity of our state’s most valuable resource — our citizens. A recent Columbia University study finds that every dollar invested in national service brings a return of $3.95  in terms of higher earnings, increased economic activity, and other community-wide benefits. Investing in service today will make for a stronger Texas tomorrow.

At Teach For America our teachers leading high-need classrooms proudly fly their service flags. As members of AmeriCorps, they post signs indicating their service affiliation in their classrooms, and wear the AmeriCorps logo on their school IDs. These small symbols play a large part in teaching the next generation about the importance of service to empowering our communities 

As AmeriCorps celebrates its 20th anniversary, we’re proud that so many Texans have answered the call to service. From students to teachers, from first-time volunteers to those who consider giving back a full time job — we all have the ability to help Texas be its best. Try service on as part of your growing identity. We think it will be a great fit.

Robert Carreon is executive director of Teach For America-Rio Grande Valley. Elizabeth Darling is CEO and president of OneStar National Service Commission.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

DATE: July 2, 2013

CONTACT: Elizabeth Darling, 512-287-2062, liz@onestarfoundation.org

Click here for a copy of this Press Release in PDF format.

2,126 AmeriCorps members to meet state and local needs

Austin, TX – OneStar Foundation announced today that 22 organizations in Texas have received AmeriCorps*State grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The grants will support 2,126 AmeriCorps members across the state who will serve as in-school, after-school and summertime teachers, tutors and mentors, provide intensive college access and success services, engage in adult and early literacy interventions, participate in early childhood development programs, distribute food to economically disadvantaged children and families, engage children in daily physical activity, assist with case management for the homeless, recruit hundreds of volunteers, and respond to disasters throughout the state.

OneStar Foundation will distribute more than $12.3 million in funding to organizations selected in a highly competitive statewide and national process.

“National service is an essential part of the solution to many of the social challenges facing our Texas communities,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO. “These AmeriCorps members will meet pressing local needs and strengthen Texas as they develop civic and leadership skills that can last a lifetime.”

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.

“AmeriCorps members are improving the lives of millions of citizens and having a positive and lasting impact on the toughest challenges facing our communities,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “I congratulate these organizations for their strong applications in a highly competitive year. Thanks to the dedicated service of AmeriCorps members, these organizations will increase their reach and impact on meeting local needs.”

The grants advance the priorities of the bipartisan 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and focus AmeriCorps resources on six key service areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.

On a national level, AmeriCorps engages 80,000 Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs. Members serve through more than 14,000 organizations in rural and urban communities throughout the nation. Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 3.4 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth.

Since 1994, more than 775,000 Americans have provided more than 1 billion hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps. In 2012, 1,964 AmeriCorps members served at 20 programs across the state of Texas in the fields of Education, Economic Opportunity, Healthy Futures, Environmental Stewardship, and Veterans & Military Families. Members provided 2.3 million hours of service and earned $7.4 million in Segal Education Awards to further their own education and repay student loan debt after serving. The 20 AmeriCorps*Texas programs received $12,111,429 in federal AmeriCorps funding, and leveraged an additional $9,766,781 in match funding.

Below is a listing of 2013 AmeriCorps grants in Texas:

• Amarillo ISD, $285,430 to support 55 AmeriCorps Members
• American YouthWorks, $260,000 to support 20 AmeriCorps Members
• AVANCE, Inc. El Paso Chapter, $930,960 to support 74 AmeriCorps Members
• Breakthrough , $330,013 to support 106 AmeriCorps Members
• CitySquare, $1,142,953 to support 304 AmeriCorps Members
• City Year, Inc. , $1,476,300 to support 111 AmeriCorps Members
• College Forward, $965,655 to support 75 AmeriCorps Members
• Communities in Schools of Central Texas, $711,044 to support 96 AmeriCorps Members
• Communities in Schools of the Heart of Texas, $279,168 to support 48 AmeriCorps Members
• Front Steps, $403,000 to support 31 AmeriCorps Members
• Harris County Department of Education, $326,618 to support 32 AmeriCorps Members
• Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, $330,592 to support 32 AmeriCorps Members
• Project GRAD, $244,353 to support 25 AmeriCorps  Members
• Project Transformation, $477,984 to support 115 AmeriCorps Members
• Reading Partners, $370,500 to support 30 AmeriCorps Members
• SA Youth, $265,421 to support 40 AmeriCorps Members
• Schulenburg Weimar In Focus Together, $282,830 to support 41 AmeriCorps Members
• Teach for America, $950,000 to support 634 AmeriCorps Members
• Travis County Dept. of Health and Human Services and Veterans Service, $301,696 to support 32 AmeriCorps Members
• University of North Texas, $466,436 to support 83 AmeriCorps Members
• The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, $265,892 to support 40 AmeriCorps Members
• University of Texas at Austin | Charles A. Dana Center, $1,330,000 to support 106 AmeriCorps Members

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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. Learn more at onestarfoundation.org.

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 United We Serve, the President’s call to service.  Individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.

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First-ever federal research finds unemployed individuals who volunteer are 27% more likely to find work than non-volunteers

By Samantha Jo Warfield, CNCS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A groundbreaking new report from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) provides the most compelling empirical evidence to date establishing an association between volunteering and employment.

The study, “Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment: Does Volunteering Increase Odds of Finding a Job for the Out of Work?” finds that unemployed individuals who volunteer have 27 percent higher odds of finding a job than non-volunteers. The relationship between volunteering and employment holds stable regardless of a person’s gender, age, ethnicity, geographical area, or job market conditions.

“Many of us in the volunteer sector have long felt volunteering gives a boost to those looking for work, but we’ve never had solid research to back it up,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS.  “This report provides a definitive answer – volunteers are more likely to find work than non-volunteers. Volunteering can help jobseekers develop skills and expand professional contacts, creating a positive impression that can make a big difference in a competitive job market.”

The federal agency used 10 years of data from the Census Bureau and analyzed a nationally representative sample of more than 70,000 individuals 16 years or older who were looking for work. The report examines their volunteer and employment status over two years to determine whether there was a relationship between volunteering and securing a job.

The report’s finding of a 27 percent increase in odds of employment was statistically significant.   The association between volunteering and employment remained consistent across each year of the study period and varying unemployment rates, suggesting that volunteering may provide an advantage regardless of economic conditions. Importantly, the relationship was strongest among individuals without a high school diploma (51 percent increase in odds) and individuals who live in rural areas (55 percent increase in odds).

“This research suggests that people with limited skills or social connections – particularly those without a high school education – may see an extra benefit to volunteering as a way to open doors and level the playing field,” said Dr. Christopher Spera, director of evaluation and research at CNCS.

Prior research has shown that volunteering can increase a person’s social connections and professional contacts (social capital) and skills and experiences (human capital), two factors that are positively related to employment outcomes. In addition, some workers may see volunteering as a possible entry route into a new field or organization where they would like to work.

Promoting volunteer service as a pathway for employment and opportunity has been a priority of CNCS.  The agency provides vital leadership and support to America’s voluntary sector through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Volunteer Generation Fund, and other programs.  Last year, the agency engaged more than five million Americans in service to meet local needs and built the capacity of thousands of nonprofits to more effectively recruit and manage volunteers.

The connection between volunteering and employment has also been promoted by the Department of Labor, which issued policy guidance last year recognizing that volunteering can help expand opportunity for unemployed individuals by enabling them to develop and maintain skills, expand their network of contacts, and enhance their resumes. The guidance encouraged state workforce agencies to promote volunteering by individuals receiving unemployment compensation.

“This research has far-reaching implications for the volunteer sector, for workforce agencies, for policymakers, and for those who are out of work,” Spencer said. “We encourage nonprofits across the country to engage out-of-work Americans as volunteers, and to help them develop skills and contacts and take on leadership roles. For those who are out of work, consider volunteering as one part of your job search strategy.  Visit Serve.gov to find volunteer opportunities in your area.”

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The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

Published Tuesday June 18, 2013.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

DATE: April 8, 2013

CONTACT: Elizabeth Darling, 512-287-2062, liz@onestarfoundation.org

Click here for a copy of this Press Release in PDF format.

AUSTIN, TX — Tomorrow, April 9, more than 50 mayors across the State of Texas will be among 800 mayors nationally to join together in recognition of the impact national service participants in AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs have made on their local communities.

The first-ever Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service is being led by Cities of Service, the National League of Cities, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps.

In Texas, the initiative is being led by CNCS’s Texas State Office and OneStar Foundation, which serves as Texas’ National Service Commission.

“We are proud to be part of the national service family and grateful for the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members who are getting things done for Texas,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO of OneStar Foundation, which administers between $8-12 million in AmeriCorps*State grants to nonprofits each year.  “Our AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members have made a significant impact on Texas’ ability to meet so many local needs, and the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service is a perfect opportunity to recognize their great work.”

In Texas, more than 27,000 national service members of all ages and backgrounds are helping to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through AmeriCorps and Senior Corps in 2013. Serving at more than 3,300 locations throughout the state, these citizens tutor and mentor children, support veterans and military families, provide health services, restore the environment, respond to disasters, increase economic opportunity, and recruit and manage volunteers.

Participating mayors will do site visits, roundtables, proclamations, and celebrations. All events are designed to highlight how national service works for cities and focuses on three groups that benefit from the program: the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.

Highlights of the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service in Texas include events in the following cities:

• Austin – Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Chief Service Officer Sly Majid will host a ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday, April 9th at 1:00pm for a celebration of national service. The event will be held in the Council Chambers. Free parking is available in the City Hall Garage. Leaders and distinguished guests will be present to recognize the value of national service in Austin.

• Houston – Mayor Parker, Council Member Ed Gonzalez, and Chief Service Officer Katherine Price will host a proclamation presentation at City Hall on Tuesday April 9, 2013 in the Council Chambers. Attendees must arrive by 1:15pm and bring a picture ID. There will be a photo opportunity with Mayor Parker and Council Member Gonzalez after the presentation.

• San Antonio – Mayor Julian Castro will address the public on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at Sam Houston High School at 2:00pm.

In addition to the Texas cities that will be hosting events, many other Texas municipalities will be celebrating April 9^th with a Proclamation or in other ways. A full list of participating mayors can be found here.

“We’re proud to stand with this bipartisan group of mayors,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS.  “These leaders are shining a bright light on the many ways AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers are improving neighborhoods and transforming lives across the country.”

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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. For more information, visit onestarfoundation.org.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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OneStar Foundation is proud to be featured in the Texas Association of Business’ March 2013 Report. Click the link below to view the report:

Texas Association of Business_OneStar Profile (March 2013)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: March 11, 2013

CONTACT: Elizabeth Darling, 512-287-2062, liz@onestarfoundation.org

AUSTIN, TX — OneStar Foundation and the State of Texas will join the nationwide celebration of AmeriCorps Week, March 9-17, spotlighting the vital work done by AmeriCorps members in communities across Texas since the national service program began 19 years ago.

More than 4,300 AmeriCorps members are serving in Texas this year, helping students learn to read, mentoring at-risk youth, providing health services, building homes for low-income families, and helping nonprofits recruit volunteers and achieve their mission.

“We are proud to be part of AmeriCorps and grateful for the AmeriCorps members who are getting things done for Texas,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO of the OneStar Foundation, which serves as Texas’ National Service Commission, administering between $8-12 million in AmeriCorps*State grants to nonprofits each year.  “AmeriCorps members have made a significant impact on Texas’ ability to meet so many local needs, and AmeriCorps Week is a perfect opportunity to recognize their great work.”

Since 1994, more than 800,000 Americans have given more than 1 billion hours of service through AmeriCorps.  Every year, more than 75,000 AmeriCorps members meet pressing community needs across the country. Serving at more 15,000 locations nationwide, AmeriCorps members recruited and managed more than four million volunteers last year, boosting the impact of the nonprofit and faith-based organizations they serve.

View the Governor’s Proclamation of AmeriCorps Week 2013 for Texas here.

To mark AmeriCorps Week, a number of events are happening around the state both this week and throughout the spring, including:

• Austin – Austin area AmeriCorps programs will host a series of events next month for Austin AmeriCorps Awareness Week from April 21-27^th, including a HOPE Farmer’s Market booth, a Boys and Girls Club Basketball Tournament, an AmeriCorps Alums happy hour, AmeriCorps trivia night, and a Day of Service Rally at City Hall and Greenbelt Beautification Project. For more information, visit www.austinamericorpsweek.com.

• Dallas-Fort Worth – AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Alums of North Texas are invited to attend service projects and events all week, including an Audubon service project on the Trinity River on Saturday, March 9^th, a “show your pride” t-shirt visibility campaign on Sunday the 10^th, and several virtual events such as social media chats, advice sharing for the next generation, storytelling, photo/video swaps, and an “everything is bigger in Texas” impact discussion! Click here for details or to sign up.

• El Paso – AVANCE-El Paso will host AmeriCorps Week festivities all week, including a mural painting project on March 9^th in collaboration with UTEP’s Project Move, as well as a county proclamation on March 11^th, a city proclamation on March 12^th, and bilingual English/Spanish civic reflection discussion March 13^th & 14^th.

• Houston – In honor of AmeriCorps Week, the City of Houston’s AmeriCorps*VISTA project will be helping out at the City Hall Farmer’s Market on Wednesday the 13^th along with the Mayor as well as volunteering at Tour de Houston on March 17^th. Other Houston area AmeriCorps members and programs will celebrate Houston AmeriCorps Awareness Week later in the spring from May 13-17^th. Events will include conducting information sessions at local universities, a networking event for current members, and online guest blogging throughout the week.

• Rio Grande Valley – Teach for America-Rio Grande Valley will be celebrating Teach for America Week from March 18-22 by hosting guest politicians and community leaders in Corps members’ classrooms. Guests will include KRGV-ABC, Representatives Oscar Longoria and Rene Oliviera, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Greta Krumenacker, Investment Associate Officer, Raza Development Fund, and Susan Valverde, Executive Director, Sylvan Learning Center.

• San Antonio – San Antonio Youth will host and AmeriCorps speed dating where individuals will get to “date” an AmeriCorps program to determine their interests, best fit programs, and future participation. City Year-San Antonio will celebrate AmeriCorps Week by engaging AmeriCorps members as volunteers at their Spring Break Camps the week of March 11-14. The camps are a partnership with Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, and will include leadership development activities for students and will highlight AmeriCorps’ impact.

These events will allow Texas residents to learn about AmeriCorps impact in Texas while also providing opportunities for current members and alums to stay connected.

“AmeriCorps members are improving the lives of millions of citizens and making a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps. “AmeriCorps Week is an opportunity to recognize their impact and thank them for their service.  AmeriCorps members and the millions of volunteers they manage are an indispensable resource to our nation, and we are grateful for their dedicated service.”

AmeriCorps members typically remain actively engaged in their communities long after their service is complete. An AmeriCorps longitudinal study found that AmeriCorps alums are more attached to their communities, aware of community challenges, and significantly more likely to go into public service careers.

AmeriCorps Week is an annual event designed to salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their service, thank AmeriCorps’ community partners, and recognize AmeriCorps’ impact on communities and on the lives of those who serve.  Hundreds of events are taking place across the United States – service projects, recruitment fairs, school presentations, alumni gatherings, awards ceremonies, and more.  For more information, visit http://onestarfoundation.org/americorpstexas/americorps-week/ or  AmeriCorpsWeek.gov.

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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. For more information, visit onestarfoundation.org.

AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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