YouthBuild Just-A-Start and 18 Other AmeriCorps Programs to Receive $10M from Mass Service Alliance

YouthBuild Just-A-Start of Cambridge and 18 other AmeriCorps programs in Massachusetts have been selected to receive a dividend of $10,000,000 for the upcoming 2013-2014 program year, massnonprofit.org reported last week. The awards will be allocated by the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), a nonprofit that promotes and supports service and volunteerism by investing in local community-based organizations. 

According to the report, the funding will enable 1200 AmeriCorps members in various organizations around the state to take part in number of capacity-building and direct-service activities that include "providing support to children from preschool through high school graduation, addressing environmental and land conservation needs, recruiting volunteers and strengthening the capacity of the nonprofit sector, and upgrading affordable housing for low-income families and for homeless and disabled veterans."  

Since 1994, YouthBuild Just-A-Start has served underprivileged youth in the communities of Cambridge and Chelsea as one of the MYBC's most innovative sites in Massachusetts. As a member of the program, students not only have the option to pursue the traditional construction/GED route, but through a partnership with Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and Bunker Hill Community College, the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and/or follow the program's healthcare career track. The funding they're due to receive from MSA this coming year will go to supporting their exemplary outcomes that include (since '09):

• A 0% recidivism rate for students who entered the program with justice system involvement
• A literacy/numeracy gain rate of 91% among all students
• A placement rate of 95% (including job placements and post-secondary placements)
• A tally of over 400 industry recognized credentials earned by students 
• A count of almost 200,000 AmeriCorps community service hours completed by the program

(taken from the most recent round of data: 2009-2012)


Read the original article on massnonprofit.org

Find out more about YouthBuild Just-A-Start at youthbuildjustastart.org

Related: YouthBuild Just-A-Start is hiring!
             

---

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Subscribe to our newsletter