Employment Security awards funds for community projects in Chelan County - October 21, 2009

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Media contact: Mark Varadian, Communications Manager, 360-902-9454

OLYMPIA – The state Employment Security Department has awarded grants worth $225,000 to Chelan County public-service programs.

Intermountain AmeriCorps received $123,000 to help pay for 34 Washington Service Corps members of the Service and Education Teams (SET). SET members serve all age levels with tutoring and academic mentoring to improve their study and organizational skills as well as test results and grades. In addition, they assist students with limited English skills to improve their comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) provided $35,000 of this funding.

Intermountain AmeriCorps also received $102,000 to help pay for 26 Washington Reading Corps members who tutor K-6 students one-on-one or in small groups, act as positive mentor to those targeted students, and promote family literacy.

“These grants improve the lives of people across our state while also creating meaningful experiences for our Corps members,” said Karen Lee, commissioner of the Employment Security Department.

Nearly $2 million is being distributed to school districts, counties, learning centers, housing authorities and non-profit groups to support 26 team projects over the coming year. Team members will provide services in 26 of Washington’s 39 counties from September 2009 through August 2010.

Funding for the grants comes from the federal AmeriCorps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) programs.  Employment Security distributes the money to local communities throughout Washington to cover operating costs and provide stipends to Corps members to serve on a wide range of public-service projects.

Created by the state legislature in 1983 and administered by the Employment Security Department, the Washington Service Corps engages the talents, energy and enthusiasm of civic-minded adults, aged 17 and up, in serving their communities.

To learn more about Washington Service Corps team projects and individual placement sites visit www.esd.wa.gov/washservicecorps/  and click on “Information on current Washington Service Corps programs”.

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