Why Become an AmeriCorps Member? AmeriCorps members serve in a network of more than 1,000 local
and national nonprofit organizations throughout the country to improve
communities and better the lives of people. Since 1994, more than
150,000 members have served in communities like ours. Members work on
different issues and in different communities on
locally identified issues. They are all tied together by being
AmeriCorps members and focusing on meeting community needs.
Adventure
AmeriCorps is an
adventure—a way to put idealism into action. AmeriCorps lets people live
up to their dreams—to help children learn, protect the environment, or
bring needed services to a low-income community. There are opportunities
in AmeriCorps for anyone who’s willing to do something special,
something unique, something exciting.
Experience
AmeriCorps is a real-life education and
work experience wrapped into one. Members learn teamwork, communication,
responsibility, and other essential skills that will help them for the
rest of their lives. And they gain the personal satisfaction of taking
on a challenge and seeing results.
Benefits
AmeriCorps Job Ready Program members earn a living allowance,
health insurance, student loan deferment, education and training. After
they complete a full-time service term (usually 10 to 12 months) they
receive a $4,725 education award to help pay for college, graduate
school, vocational training, or to pay student loans.
Strengthening Communities
As an AmeriCorps member, you will set an example of caring and
community spirit that America needs. Our country has difficult problems
and big challenges—too many children are falling behind their
classmates; many families don’t feel safe in their own neighborhoods;
and others can’t afford decent housing or health care. During your term
of service as an AmeriCorps member, you won’t solve these problems
single-handedly—but you will play an important role in bringing
communities together to help solve these and other problems.
You are carrying on an American tradition of service that dates back to
our nations’ founding more than 200 years ago. Americans have always
found ways to help others and make our nation stronger—through military
service, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Peace Corps, and in
other ways. The 250,000-plus Americans who have served in AmeriCorps
have done what other generations of Americans have done before—taken an
active role as citizens to make a difference for themselves and others.
What happens next is up to you.