City of Dubuque Receives AmeriCorps Funding for Grade-Level Reading Initiative

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The City of Dubuque announced today that the AmeriCorps Partners in Learning Program has received $203,761 in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps and other national service programs.
 
This grant will support 49 AmeriCorps members in Dubuque who will provide academic reading supports to K-3 students through one-to-one and small group tutoring at Dubuque Community Schools, provide early childhood literacy engagement at the Carnegie Stout Public Library, and engage students through academic enrichment with St. Mark Youth Enrichment’s after-school programs. AmeriCorps members will also serve during the summer of 2021, engaging youth through academic enrichment to curb the “summer slide” typically seen during these months.
 
The AmeriCorps Partners in Learning Program leverages Dubuque community members to build capacity with local non-profits, government departments and school districts to solve some of Dubuque’s most pressing needs. "The AmeriCorps Partners in Learning Program has been extremely successful in its 20 years of operation, 13 of which have been under the leadership of the City of Dubuque," said Heather Satterly, AmeriCorps Director for the City of Dubuque. "The program’s success is apparent in the over 800 AmeriCorps alumni giving over 450,000 hours of service in the community."

With the challenges of COVID-19, AmeriCorps Partners in Learning members have adapted their service to help meet critical needs of the Dubuque community. This includes supporting schools, classrooms and students as their education moves virtually, making masks for community members, and engaging in hunger-related needs. AmeriCorps members will continue to support Dubuque’s critical needs during these ever-changing times.
 
“For more than two decades, Americans have answered the call to serve by pledging to ‘get things done’ as AmeriCorps members,” said Chester Spellman, National Director of AmeriCorps. “Through their dedication and sacrifice, I know our nation is in good hands. We are so pleased to be supporting more AmeriCorps members in Dubuque, where their service will help to create a brighter tomorrow. I salute all of our AmeriCorps members – past, present, and future – and thank those who help make their service possible.”
 
CNCS will provide an additional $81,649 in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of approximately $6,000 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
 
Applications for the 2020-2021 school year AmeriCorps Partners in Learning Program will be available on June 1. Members must be 18 years of age or older and have a high school diploma. Anyone interested in receiving more information or to learn about joining the AmeriCorps Partners in Learning Program, should contact Heather Satterly, AmeriCorps Director for the City of Dubuque, at 563-690-6171 or hsatterl@cityofdubuque.org. Online applications can be found at www.CityofDubuque.org/employment.

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