Michael F. Easley
Governor
State of North Carolina
Office of the Governor
Governor's Press Office
State Capitol, Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
(919) 733-5612 - Toll Free 1-800-662-7005
FAX (919) 733-5166
For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Emma Lipscomb/Beth Dozier
Date: October 12, 2007 Phone: 919/733-5612
GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SIGNS CONTRACT FOR AMERICORPS PROGRAM
RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley today announced the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill signed a contract with the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service awarding them $292,955 in grant money for the North Carolina Literacy Corps AmeriCorps program.
“With this grant award, AmeriCorps members will be able to continue working to improve the lives of people throughout North Carolina,” said Easley. “I am grateful for their service to our state, and I look forward to another successful year.”
N.C. Literacy Corps AmeriCorps members serve as tutors to increase reading and English language abilities and develop improved attitudes and behaviors toward learning among students at academic risk. AmeriCorps members also serve to build the capacity of campus-based tutoring programs around the state to provide quality tutoring services.
“N.C. LiteracyCorps will increase literacy and civic engagement across the North Carolina,” said Kathy Sikes, executive director of the Student Coaltion for Action in Literacy Education. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to build the capacity of North Carolina’s literacy programs through AmeriCorps.”
More than 40 AmeriCorps members will serve with Literacy Corps in Alamance, Burke, Craven, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Scotland and Wake counties. For more information about Literacy Corps, call Kathey Sikes at 919-962-1542.
The AmeriCorps program coincides with the traditional school calendar. AmeriCorps, a national service initiative funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is designed to increase volunteering and civic engagement in America. Since 1994, more than 4,000 individuals have participated in N.C. AmeriCorps programs.
The N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, a federal and state-funded agency housed in the Governor’s Office, administers funding for 10 N.C. AmeriCorps programs. For more information on all of the AmeriCorps programs, visit www.volunteernc.org or call 800/820-4483.
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