Michigan’s AmeriCorps – Kicking Off a New Year of Service!

By: Guest Blogger Megan Sargent, Training & Inclusion Coordinator at the Michigan Community Service Commission

The 2008-2009 program year for Michigan’s AmeriCorps has drawn to a close – although we won’t soon forget the successes of this past year. More than 1,000 individuals served Michigan’s communities as AmeriCorps members last year assisting with human needs, education, environment, disaster preparedness, and much more! Now we look forward to the 2009-2010 program year and the countless ways national service will impact communities across the state.

During this next year the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), through funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service, is granting money to 19 Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs. These grantees will place more than 1,100 Michigan’s AmeriCorps members in communities across the state to “Get Things Done for America!”

In the immediate future there will be a variety of professional development opportunities for our new and returning Michigan’s AmeriCorps members. Each fall the MCSC hosts the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Celebration. This event provides a chance for all members to come together for a day of training, motivation, teambuilding, and festivities. Every year a keynote speaker is also welcomed – for 2009 the MCSC has invited Tony Campbell, Vice President of Focused Impact at the Heart of West Michigan United Way, MCSC Commissioner, and chair of the Mentor Michigan Task Force. This year’s Celebration will occur on Thursday, November 19 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Click here for a complete agenda of this year’s Celebration. If you are a current Michigan’s AmeriCorps member, mark that date on your calendar!

November will also bring the kickoff of the 2009-2010 Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council. The Member Council aims to strengthen the national service movement and the awareness of AmeriCorps in Michigan through effective outreach, community-wide service projects, and civic engagement. Annually, the Member Council consists of AmeriCorps members from each of the MCSC’s Michigan’s AmeriCorps grantees, as well as representatives from AmeriCorps*VISTA and AmeriCorps*National Direct programs in Michigan.

One of the roles of the Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member Council is the maintaining and authoring of this blog. For the time being you will find guest posters contributing their thoughts here with new member postings coming later this fall!

The Michigan Community Service Commission is looking forward to a productive year with Michigan’s AmeriCorps members. We believe in changing lives by engaging people in service.