EcoServants will be spending AmeriCorps Week with the American Red Cross of New Mexico and the AmeriCorps*National Preparedness and Response Corps (NPRC) in mock disaster training with our Ready When the Time Comes Team from Ruidoso NM. The drill will take place at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, 501 Elizabeth SE. Registration will begin at 9:00 am.

Read more: AmeriCorps Week - EcoServants @ the American Red Corss

As you are likely aware, Congress failed to reach a deal on balanced deficit reduction to avoid the across-the-board budget reductions commonly known as “sequestration.”  Thus, the President was required by law to issue a sequestration order.  This order cancels approximately $85 billion in budgetary resources across the Federal government for the remainder of the Federal fiscal year. 

Given your relationship with the Corporation for National and Community Service, we wanted to provide you with information about how these unfortunate budget cuts will affect our programs. 

CNCS’s senior leadership team has engaged in extensive planning efforts to mitigate the effect of these cuts. In planning how to implement a possible sequestration, our guiding principle has been to protect the ability to perform our core mission on behalf of the American people.   While these types of cuts are painful, we have carefully considered how to use the various tools at our disposal to reduce costs and mitigate to the extent possible the disruption to our operations, to our programs, and to all of you.  

Impact on AmeriCorps State and National

As a result of sequestration, an estimated 3,600 individuals would be denied the opportunity to serve as AmeriCorps members through the State and National program and earn money for college through national service.  As a result, AmeriCorps would provide up to 3.7 million fewer hours of critical service to community organizations that help Americans devastated by national disasters, improve academic performance of disadvantaged students, provide care for vulnerable populations and help improve the quality of life for our Nation’s veterans.  Additionally, Governors and States would receive less funding for community supports.

Read more: Important Information About Sequestration

Rio Grande Educational Collaborative (RGEC) will be working at two APS elementary schools, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon:

1. Valle Vista ES (Morning): With the support of the principal, we will be assisting students who will be attending special classes to help prepare them for the State Based Assessments. This will include one on one tutoring, web based programming, test taking strategies, and support for the teachers. Our AmeriCorps members will supplement the work of the school teachers, counselors, and administrators on this day.

2. Kit Carson ES (Afternoon): Our AmeriCorps members will be supporting a beautification day at Kit Carson, this will include planting trees, shrubs, and flowers. In addition, Juntos Por Los Ninos (together for the children) program, a program specific to Kit Carson, will follow up with a special science unit on eco systems and plant life and development right after the beautification process.

Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) in Collaboration with the Mid Region Council of Governments, the American Friends Service Committee and the Bernalillo County Extension Office cordially invite you to participate in a:

Day of Recognition for AmeriCorps Members

This event is in honor of AmeriCorps week in New Mexico and across the country:

Special Honorees:

Gabe Baker- Gabe served 2 terms as an AmeriCorps member from 2010-2012 at RGCF and was hired as the Hubbell House Coordinator for Bernalillo County Extension Office.

Gina Garland- Gina served 1 term in 2012 at RGCF and was then hired as the Sandoval County Extension Agent.

Both Gina and Gabe will be participating in the public workshop as presenters and we intend to honor their service through AmeriCorps.

What: No-Till Farming Workshop and Vermicomposting
When: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Where: Rio Grande Community Farm barn located at 1701 Montano Rd, Albuquerque

Special guests: USDA Regional Administrator Josh Sherman and USDA specialist Jean Foster will be discussing Soil Health Management on farms in New Mexico.

Lunch will NOT be officially provided BUT we will have a big ole pot of rice and beans and tortillas, so you might want to bring a sack lunch. Call 379-1640 for further information.

In celebration of next week's AmeriCorps Week, AmeriCorps Alums is launching #MadeInAmeriCorps: a campaign to lift up the experiences, leadership and careers that were cultivated during a powerful experience in national service. As part of our AmeriCorps Week programming, we see an opportunity to (re)introduce state service commissions and CNCS state offices to the national alumni network – AmeriCorps Alums – as a partner and resource, with our shared goal of supporting members' "Life After AmeriCorps."

Read more: AmeriCorps Week 2013 Life After AmeriCorps resources from AmeriCorps Alums

Our members have been provided with AC posters which will be distributed to all service sites and families that receive AC services. Additionally, members will host mini-informational sessions with families or school programs to share with them what influenced them to become an AC member, the concept of service and also touch on the other AC programs that are at work in our state. Lastly, members are in the process of documenting the variety of work they do with families, schools and communities and will be editing that down to a short video that will be disseminated through various social media as a way to highlight the NMSD/AC program and AmeriCorps in general. We have a group training in Santa Fe on 3/14 and 3/15 and we are hoping to complete the video project at that time.

AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 men and women in intensive service each year through thousands of nonprofit organizations, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. AmeriCorps members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing more than 3.4 million volunteers for the organizations they serve. Members gain valuable professional, educational, and life benefits. The experience has a lasting impact on the members and the communities they serve.

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) has been the largest AmeriCorps program operating in northern New Mexico since 1995. RMYC's AmeriCorps program instills in young adults an increased spirit of civic engagement. We inspire youth to make a difference in themselves and their communities. Through training and team service, RMYC is a stepping stone to new opportunities. RMYC has engaged thousands of primarily Hispanic and Native American youth, providing them with innovative service learning opportunities, a GED program, and continuing educational scholarships, employment readiness, character development and substance abuse prevention programs. Our goal is to prepare 16 to 25 year old young people for responsible, productive lives and revitalize communities across northern New Mexico.

Read more: AmeriCorps Week in Quay County