WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteering, is awarding $1,186,463 for Maine organizations to strengthen public service in the state and support relief efforts in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The grant will award $1,076,779 to Volunteer Maine – the state’s service commission – in order to support living allowances and expand AmeriCorps opportunities. The remaining $109,684 will go to the Maine Conservation Corps, in order to augment living allowances and make the program more accessible for Americans of all backgrounds. The funds are awarded through the American Rescue Plan, which passed in March by a vote of 50-49 with the Senator’s crucial vote.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps volunteers in Maine and across the country have stepped up to support their neighbors in need,” said Senator King.  “These community leaders and their membership have stepped up to play a vital role in a fraught moment, offering needed aid for our seniors and taking a leading role in protecting the outdoor spaces that have provided a refuge for so many Maine people during this stressful period. These grants will strengthen their work, and enable organizations like Volunteer Maine to double down on their public service. I’m grateful for all the work these organizations have done, and glad the American Rescue Plan is able to support their critical efforts. ”

“Volunteerism and service – the willingness to step up and help one another with no expectation of anything in return – is a cornerstone of the character of Maine people. Whether it’s a neighbor helping a neighbor, or a member of AmeriCorps or the Maine Conservation Corps, serving our seniors or taking steps to protect our incredible natural resources, our state benefits immensely from their service and generosity of spirit,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I am grateful for these American Rescue Plan funds, which will allow Volunteer Maine and the Maine Conservation Corps to support more public service opportunities here in Maine, a vital step forward as we continue to recover from the pandemic.”

"The American Rescue Plan will allow AmeriCorps to empower local, state, and national service partners to address the most urgent needs facing their communities.” said Sonali Nijhawan, director of AmeriCorps State and National. “These funds will make service more accessible by increasing the living allowance and strengthening programs, enabling more AmeriCorps members to get things done for America."

Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through 21,000+ schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of communities affected by disasters and helped thousands of first generation college students access higher education. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs. Since the AmeriCorps inception in 1994, more than 1 million Americans have served, providing more than 1.5 billion hours of service and earned more than $3.6 billion in education scholarships, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student debt.

Maine’s state service commission, Volunteer Maine, builds capacity and sustainability in Maine's volunteer and service communities by funding programs, developing managers of volunteers, raising awareness of sector issues, and promoting service as a strategy. They aim to foster and inspire community service across Maine to address our state’s critical needs. They provide volunteer opportunities like the Maine Climate Corps, the Maine Service Fellows program, and other AmeriCorps sponsored programs.

Senator King recognizes the benefits of National Service programs to Americans, and has long advocated for an expansion of these programs. The recently cosponsored the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, which would fund 750,000 national service positions over a three-year response and recovery period, to meet the projected need for as many as 300,000 public health workers. Under the bill, the number of AmeriCorps and national service positions could expand from 75,000 to 150,000 the first year and double to 300,000 in years two and three. He also cosponsored the Cultivating Opportunity and Recovery from the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act, similar legislation that would expand national service programs significantly to help the country recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 public health emergency. 

This grant is the latest funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to support the pressing needs of Maine’s communities. Most recently, this has meant $41 million in funding for local Maine health centers, $11 million to build infrastructure for community health centers, nearly $1 million to improve testing in Maine’s at-risk communities, and $41 million in funding to improve Maine's health system.

Since its March passage, the American Rescue Plan has also delivered to Maine:

·       Over $1 million to support mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment.

·       More than $128 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to expand Maine broadband.

·       $1.6 million for Maine schools to shrink the “digital divide”.

·       A child tax credit expansion to lift 10,000 Maine children out of poverty.

·       Nearly $1.5 billion in aid to Maine’s state, county, and local governments.

·       Over $56 million in assistance for Maine’s small business community.