FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mar 03, 2022

Smith visits AmeriCorps’ environment, education, workforce development and public health programs; meets with local officials and swears-in new AmeriCorps members

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO, visited Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del., last week to see national service programs in action, meet with local officials and hear from AmeriCorps members and alumni.

On Thursday, Feb. 24, Smith visited PowerCorpsPHL, an urban climate corps program in Philadelphia. PowerCorpsPHL is a person-of-color led AmeriCorps program focused on the environment, workforce development and youth violence prevention. While there, he met with AmeriCorps members, received a tour of their facilities, and learned about a Memorial Grove, a new member-designed project to remember corps members lost to gun violence. AmeriCorps members shared with Smith their current work to address ground erosion by planting native trees, and he joined them by planting his own Dogwood tree.

Later that day, Smith hosted a roundtable with AmeriCorps members serving with the Community Resource Corps and Serve Philadelphia VISTA Corps, both programs hosted through the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service. Smith was joined by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenny to hear about the work the members are doing to reduce poverty and support Philadelphia residents.

Michael D. Smith visits PowerCorpsPHL, an urban climate corps program in Philadelphia
Michael D. Smith leads his first AmeriCorps swearing-in ceremony as CEO
Michael D. Smith and Kevin Smith, CEO of Habitat for Humanity New Castle County, are the guests of a new homeowner in the Amala Way Development
Michael D. Smith meets with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06)

On Friday, Feb. 25, Smith joined Delaware Senator Chris Coons at the Wilmington Public Library to meet AmeriCorps members serving throughout the state with programs such as National Health Corps, Public Allies, Reading Assist and Teach for America. While there, Smith led his first AmeriCorps swearing-in ceremony as CEO. During his address, Smith shared his vision for AmeriCorps saying to new members, “You have the opportunity to shape the future, and [AmeriCorps] is going to have your back. And we are going to make sure, as President Biden has said, that we build back better and stronger than we ever were before.”

The CEO and Senator then visited an AmeriCorps team of NCCC members serving with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County. They, along with Kevin Smith, CEO of Habitat for Humanity New Castle County, were the first guests of a new homeowner in the Amala Way Development, one of the many developments served by Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County over the last 30 years.

Smith also met with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), an AmeriCorps alumna, to discuss national service in her district. He also met with leadership from City Year Philadelphia, the Mayor’s Office on Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, PennServe and staff from the AmeriCorps Mid-Atlantic Regional Office.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency invests more than $800 million in grants for local nonprofit, community, tribal, and state organizations; places more than 250,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.