Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa Celebrates Swearing in of One Millionth AmeriCorps Member
PRESS RELEASE
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
Oct. 6, 2016
For immediate release
CONTACTS
Elise Peterson, Director of Development, Marketing & Communications, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
651.209.9900 x26
elise.peterson@conservationcorps.org
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa Celebrates Swearing in of One Millionth AmeriCorps Member
Conservation Corps joins with organizations throughout the nation to celebrate the one million men and women who have joined AmeriCorps
Saint Paul, Minn. — Every day in communities across Minnesota, Conservation Corps and its AmeriCorps members are making a powerful impact on some of the most critical issues facing our state. Whether responding to disaster, restoring critical habitat, improving access to public lands, or leading teenagers in hands-on conservation projects, AmeriCorps members serving with Conservation Corps are making a difference in our state and beyond.
On Friday Oct. 7, 2016, Conservation Corps celebrates with other AmeriCorps organizations as our nation reaches an incredible milestone: 1 million young people have joined AmeriCorps to make our communities stronger. AmeriCorps is a national service program that helps meet community needs through the efforts of AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps programs are hosted by nonprofit organizations, state agencies and local governments, elementary and secondary schools, Indian tribes, colleges and universities, community and faith-based organizations, and intermediary organizations representing a combination of these or similar groups, working together.
Minnesota is at the heart this celebration. Minneapolis/St. Paul is ranked number one for producing the most AmeriCorps members in the nation, and Minnesota is the number two ranked state.
“It’s no surprise that Minnesota is such a strong contributor to AmeriCorps. Conservation Corps has a long history of mobilizing civic-minded young people within our state. Today, our AmeriCorps members are key to fulfilling our mission of restoring resources and changing lives,” said Teresa Spaeth, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa executive director.
More than 3,000 AmeriCorps members will serve in Minnesota this year, 300 of whom are part of Conservation Corps. With Conservation Corps, they serve in a variety of positions throughout Minnesota and the greater Midwest, including: field crews conducting natural resource work, youth leaders working with teens from low-income households in educational and service-learning activities, individual placements serving directly in nonprofit and government agencies, and conservation apprentices who serve alongside natural resource professionals.
“We take great pride in the role AmeriCorps members play in delivering Conservation Corps’ mission of environmental stewardship and community engagement,” said Anna Kucera, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa board chair.
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About Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa provides hands-on environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities for youth and young adults. They accomplish conservation, natural resource management and emergency response work throughout Minnesota, Iowa and surrounding states. conservationcorps.org
About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 men and women in intensive service each year through more than 15,000 nonprofits, schools, public agencies and community and faith-based groups across the country. Since 1994, AmeriCorps has provided critical support to millions of Americans affected by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, forest fires, terror attacks and other natural and man-made disasters, and is a vital resource in America’s emergency management infrastructure.