FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2022
CONTACT:
Betsy Shelton, Volunteer Iowa
515.348.6228, betsy.shelton@volunteeriowa.org
New Program Aims to Expand Accessibility of AmeriCorps/National Service Opportunities
DES MOINES, Iowa – Volunteer Iowa is pleased to announce the selection of six National Service Fellows who will receive $9,000 in fellowship funding to support their affiliated organizations in expanding their role with AmeriCorps and other national service programming. The new fellowship program, supported by a grant from the Schultz Family Foundation and matching funds from the Alliant Energy Foundation and Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, targets populations that are currently underserved or under engaged in national service. The fellows and their affiliated organizations are:
- Jesse Bolinger, Creston, Creston Arts
- Terrance Hollingsworth, Waterloo, Focus on Diabetes
- Yeon Kyeong Erin Kim-Cho, Ankeny, Korean-American Society of Iowa
- Rama Muzo, Cedar Rapids, Intercultural Center of Iowa
- Rachel Rockwell, Cedar Rapids, Central City Development Corporation
- Bridgette Williams, Cedar Rapids, Bridge Under the Bridge
Fellowship recipients will participate in a series of trainings designed to build their knowledge and organizations’ capacity to host an AmeriCorps member or AmeriCorps program. The program is intended to facilitate two-way learning, with Volunteer Iowa staff also gaining knowledge about how to make national service programming more accessible to rural communities and to diverse populations.
The National Service Fellowship is part of a larger series of Volunteer Iowa initiatives aimed at recruiting and retaining a diverse group of Iowa AmeriCorps members that are representative of Iowa’s population and expanding national service opportunities so that all young people in Iowa have the chance to serve in their community. These efforts, including a member leadership council, member emergency fund, and human resources consulting for AmeriCorps service site staff, were made possible by a National Service Challenge Grant from the Schultz Family Foundation.
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About Volunteer Iowa
Volunteer Iowa and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts. The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need. The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base. Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure. More information is available at volunteeriowa.org.