Have you ever wondered who those young people in the red jackets were? They are young people between the ages of 17 and 24 who are serving full time as AmeriCorps volunteers with the international organization, City Year. Philadelphia has 180 of the 1000 members, and they serve in schools grades K-12. The corps members serve over 40 hours a week tutoring and mentoring students, running socialized recess and afterschool programs, organizing college and career fairs, and planning community service activities for volunteers across Philadelphia.

City Year is currently looking for our corps for fall 2006. These members would serve from Sept 06 through June 07. Members recieve a Timberland uniform, a living stipend of $165 a week (taxable), basic health insurance, federal student loan forbearance, and upon graduation and the completion of 1700 hours, a $4,725 education award that can be used toward school or student loans.

Do you know someone who wants to spend a year giving back to the city of Philadelphia? Someone who wants to spend a year working with the young people in our schools? Someone who wants to take the time to create the changes we all talk about on this board?

Then visit www.whyiserve.com today to download an application, or to apply on line. This is an amazing opportunity for your neighbor, your son or daughter, your neice or nephew. Thanks for spreading the word!

I thought Americorps and City Year were seperate organizations? Anyway, I learned about City year last semester in a marketing class - The Timberland sponsorship of the group. They do excellent work.

City Year falls under the AmeriCorps umbrella - and City Year is a unique AmeriCorps program in that we receive around 40% of our funding from AmeriCorps, as opposed to 100%.

Thanks for the compliments - spread the word if you know some folks. Our next application deadline is May 31st, and we have information sessions every Wed at 6 pm at our office at 23rd and Chestnut in the red cross building.

I think the city year is a great program. Anyone matching the criteria and what's to contribute to Philly should definitely check it out.
Additionally Philadelphia has some other Americorps prgrams. I worked for the Del Valley Habitat for Humanity - Americorps program. They have programs in Philadelphia (typically working in SW, West, Germantown and North Philly) Mont Co., Chester Co., Bucks Co., and Camden, NJ.
It's a great program as well. I would encourage anyone interested in serving in the Americorps to check out both City Year and Habitat for Humanity.