August 9, 2010

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism announced today a call for host site applications to support 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance Serve Outdoors for statewide community green projects in recognition of 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

The Commission’s mission is to engage citizens of New Mexico of all ages and backgrounds in community based service; such service will address New Mexico’s human, educational, environmental, public safety, health, housing and other needs to achieve direct and beneficial results

June 25, 2010

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Grant will Engage Students in Service-Learning to Solve Local Problems

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Governor Richardson announced a $152,362 grant to New Mexico today. The grant was awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service as part of its Learn and Serve America School-Based Formula grant program. The New Mexico Service Learning Project is built on a long tradition of utilizing service as a strategy for engaging youth in New Mexico communities. The Commission partners with the New Mexico Forum for Youth Community, Partnership Make a Difference and the Jane Goodall Institute to provide service learning in New Mexico.

The $20 million in grants is awarded annually to states, primarily through State Education Agencies, to support local districts and schools to carry out service-learning projects in partnership with community-based organizations. Through service-learning, students use the knowledge and skills from the classroom to address important community problems in areas such as the environment, education, public safety, and other human needs. By using academics for an immediate purpose, students learn why education matters, become more motivated to learn, and conceive of themselves as contributing members of the community.

Local Teach For America Corps, Supporting State’s Efforts to Raise Student Achievement,
Grows by 20 Percent

May 24, 2010

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GALLUP, N.M., — Teach For America announced today that 65 of the organization’s new teachers will come to the state this fall to teach in the highest-need public schools. These local teachers are among more than 4,500 new Teach For America corps members nationwide, the largest incoming corps in the organization’s 20-year history. The 65 new corps members will boost the size of the total New Mexico corps by 20 percent, allowing it to reach more than 7,000 students.

“I am pleased to welcome another corps of Teach For America teachers to Laguna schools next year. The leadership and dedication of these talented teachers are key to helping our students learn and achieve,” said Dr. Anthony Fairbanks, superintendent of Pueblo of Laguna Department of Education.

The new Teach For America teachers were chosen through a highly selective process that attracted a record 46,000 applicants. At more than 120 colleges and universities, more than 5 percent of the senior class applied, including 12 percent of all seniors at Ivy League universities. At the University of New Mexico, more than 50 graduating seniors applied.

June 7, 2010

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Federal funding for volunteerismefforts through the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerismwill more than double this year to roughly $3.2 million, thecommission announced today.

"Our innovation in volunteerism ispaying off," said Lt. Gov. Diane Denish,who chairs the commission. "Successes like this create a rippleeffect that can positively impact small communities across New Mexicoas well as help train and prepare young people for future careers."

A recent Corporation for NationalCommunity Service report found that New Mexicans as a whole give theequivalent of nearly $1 billion a year in volunteer hours. Denish hascalled volunteerism "one of New Mexico's greatest renewableresources."

May 14, 2010

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM — U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich on May 17 will receive the first-ever New Mexico Distinguished AmeriCorps Alumni Award for his leadership.

Rep. Heinrich is the only member of Congress to have graduated from the national AmeriCorps service program since it took its current form, and he is one of more than 6,300 New Mexico residents to have completed a year-long stint since 1994.

On May 17, Rep. Heinrich will accept the award at a ceremony along with representatives from the Commission for Community Volunteerism, Robin Brulé of the Center for Philanthropic Partnership, and other special guests.

April 9, 2010

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The AmeriCorps program has enriched the lives of scores of New Mexico volunteers, and they will now have a way to stay in touch and continue to promote giving even after their terms have ended.

The first-ever New Mexico AmeriCorps alumni event will take place April 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the the Albuquerque Hilton, 1901 University Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM.

The reception will take place just ahead of the 12th Annual Governor’s Spotlight on Volunteerism Conference, which starts Friday, April 16, at the Albuquerque Hilton. Special guests are expected to take part, and organizers are planning for this to become an annual gathering of AmeriCorps alumni.

February 25, 2010

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Lt. Governor Diane Denish announced three designates today, to lead a team to generate a proposal for the Social Innovation Fund. Claire Dudley (New Mexico Children’s Cabinet), Robin Brulé (Office of Philanthropic Outreach) and Greg Webb (New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism) will serve as co-leaders of the state’s plan to develop the New Mexico proposal to apply for the newly formed Social Innovation Fund available through the Corporation for National and Community Service.