AmeriCorps and the US Administration for Community Living have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate development of collaborative activities to help modernize the service of volunteers.
The MOU particularly pertains to older adults and individuals with disabilities as volunteers.
The goal is to expand the partnership to significantly increase the number of volunteers, including older adults and individuals with disabilities, engaged in service activities. Additional volunteers will help bolster the ability of Americans of all ages to live at home with the support they need and participate fully in society while also supporting communities in need throughout the United States.
“Older adults and people with disabilities are vital members of the communities they call home. Across America, they are volunteering for community organizations, helping children with schoolwork, delivering meals to neighbors and helping parents with childcare,” AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith said. “It has never been more important to ensure older adults and people with disabilities are both served by and have ample opportunity to serve their community. They have the knowledge and life experience to change lives and enrich their own as well.”
Service and volunteer programs must be proactive to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to serve and be active participants in community life. Volunteerism can also provide great opportunities to gain important work-based skills. Through this memorandum, AmeriCorps and Administration for Community Living will help ensure greater inclusion of older adults and people with disabilities in volunteer efforts.
“Across our nation, older adults volunteer almost two billion hours each year, providing over $56 billion in economic value, and people with disabilities also volunteer extensively in communities across the country,” Alison Barkoff, who leads the Administration for Community Living, said. “We are excited to continue and grow our longstanding partnership with AmeriCorps. We look forward to collaborating to modernize the way we view and deploy volunteers – especially older adults and people with disabilities.”
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, and provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities and strengthen civic engagement. The agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles each year and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term or one-time volunteers.
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Rebecca Barnabi
