Message to the Community

AmeriCorps in Minnesota in the past year touched many individuals and communities, as it has every year since its launch in 1994. As the face of AmeriCorps in our state, ServeMinnesota is proud to report our progress to the community. AmeriCorps members and programs work, usually with little fanfare, to make our communities stronger.

We would like to point out one area of meaningful, measurable impact. Young children, from age 3 to third grade, are making incredible progress in their reading skills, thanks to programs staffed by individuals serving a year in AmeriCorps. The educational journey is an important investment in Minnesota at a time when 50 percent of five-year olds are not prepared to enter Kindergarten and one in four third graders test below grade level in reading. Reducing the disparities in achievement is important work socially and economically. AmeriCorps is an effective and efficient tool for making a real difference in the numbers of children who succeed.

Our largest program, the Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC), illustrates what is possible when the "people power" of AmeriCorps is married with the science of effective literacy interventions. MRC results in the past three years have been remarkable fueling our desire to reach all Minnesota children who need the Reading Corps.

Minnesota Reading Corps is not a story about ServeMinnesota alone. The individuals giving a ;year of service and the children they are helping are at the core of this effort. Surrounding them are the programs, schools, literacy experts, business leaders, grant makers, teachers and public officials who make sure that Minnesota Reading Corps is on the ground in as many communities across Minnesota as possible.

Across all of Minnesota's AmeriCorps programs, you will see examples how nearly 600 individuals joined in service to Minnesota communities to improve our state by:

Building affordable houses
Improving access for new Minnesotans
Increasing employment for underemployed individuals
Assisting our children along the educational pathway to reduce achievement gaps

We invite you to become part of our team as a partner, a donor, a community volunteer, an AmeriCorps member or a friendly supporter. We look forward to working with you to continue to maximize the impact of AmeriCorps in Minnesota!