3 June AmeriCorps Members Help Youth Receive New Books Every Month June 3, 2021 By rverhoffkiss AmeriCorps, Impact Stories 0 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners throughout Ohio. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine developed the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and invested $5 million in this program to put books in the hands of Ohio’s children and working to ensure that every student enters kindergarten ready to succeed. There are currently 718,583 children in Ohio between birth and age 5 who are eligible for this program but many Ohio families don’t know about this incredible resource. Southeast Ohio has an especially high need for literacy services and ServeOhio’s AmeriCorps partner Project BEAR, through Shawnee State University’s Children’s Literacy Center, has been focused on working with families and community partners in Southeast Ohio to sign up more children for the Imagination Library. Project BEAR AmeriCorps members provide literacy instruction in local childcare facilities and preschools, local head start classrooms, and family childcare centers in Southeast Ohio. Through a partnership with EasterSeals of Central and Southeast Ohio, AmeriCorps members at Project BEAR have increased the percentage of children enrolled in the Imagination Library program by up to 10% in Pike, Scioto, Jackson, Gallia, Vinton, Hocking, and Meigs Counties. Because of the efforts of these AmeriCorps members, thousands of children in Southeast Ohio will receive a new book in the mail every month to read, learn from, and cherish. Any child in Ohio birth to age five – regardless of income – can enroll in the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library program to receive a free book in the mail every month. To find out more and enroll, click here. Related Posts Meet our New AmeriCorps Programs In the 2020-21 Program Year, we are delighted to welcome six new AmeriCorps programs into our portfolio. These programs will support 123 AmeriCorps members who will serve in schools, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Ohio. Learn more about our new programs! AmeriCorps Members Ensure Senior Citizens Receive Quality Care ServeOhio is excited for a new AmeriCorps program hosted by The Ohio Department of Aging. Members will advocate for Seniors in long-term care facilities to help ensure all Seniors get the quality care they deserve. Ohio Youth Lead Community Change on Global Youth Service Day On April 12-14, more than 1,300 volunteers will participate in service projects organized for Global Youth Service Day, which will be supported by ServeOhio project grants. Established in 1988, Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world, and the only day of service dedicated to children and youth. Nineteen youth volunteer projects will take place in thirteen Ohio cities – Athens, Cincinnati, Columbus, Coolville, East Cleveland, Elyria, Greenville, Hamilton, McArthur, Middletown, Napoleon, Springfield, and Wellsville. Rural Action AmeriCorps Members Continue to Get Things Done during Pandemic Ohio AmeriCorps members continue to adapt the way they serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the service may look different, they are still making an incredible impact on those they serve. Learn more about Madison Donahue and Ashley Grace, both AmeriCorps members with Rural Action’s Appalachian Ohio Restore Corps program. Madison and Ashley’s service demonstrates that even in the most extraordinary circumstances, AmeriCorps members continue to get things done. In the words of Ashley, “yes, times are tough, and things aren’t the way we wish they could be, but there’s still something we can do.” AmeriCorps Members Continue To Serve Ohio’s Students As schools start across the state, Ohio AmeriCorps members continue their work supporting Ohio’s K-12 students. Fourteen education-focused AmeriCorps programs will engage hundreds of individuals to creatively connect with students to support them academically, emotionally, and socially during the pandemic. A New Service Year is Here! How Ohio’s AmeriCorps Programs Orient Members for Service The 2019-20 AmeriCorps program year has begun! Across the state, Ohio’s 23 AmeriCorps State programs are kicking off with orientations that prepare members for their intensive terms of service. Comments are closed.