Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that North Carolina AmeriCorps members will participate in a variety of service projects and activities to celebrate National AmeriCorps Week, May 9-16. The governor also signed an AmeriCorps Week proclamation to thank program members and dedicate this week in their honor.

“AmeriCorps Week is an opportunity to thank our AmeriCorps members and alumni for their positive impact in our communities,” said Perdue. “AmeriCorps members embody the character and spirit of community service, and they are an example of how all North Carolinians can give back to their communities.”

National AmeriCorps week, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, is an effort to recognize AmeriCorps members and their community partners. The week also encourages others to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities. This year’s theme is “Drives for Service,” and members are organizing various service drives that match their program’s mission:

Black Child Development Institute, Spirit of Excellence: There will be an all day book drive at Murphey Traditional Academy in Greensboro on May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Members will read to students during the day and deliver the donated books. For more information, please contact Program Director Chris Wallace at 336-230-2138.

N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, AmeriCorps Promise Fellows: Members will organize various service drives, including used books, bicycles, food and blood. Drives will take place in Lenoir, Avery, Gaston, Stanly and Mitchell counties. For more information about dates and times, please contact Program Director Pam Thompson at 919-789-5580, ext. 268.

Children First of Buncombe County, Putting Opportunities Within Everyone’s Reach ( POWER ): Members will organize a summer camp supply drive and collect items such as books, art supplies, disposable cameras and towels for summer camps throughout Buncombe County. The two drives will be May 13 and 14 in Asheville. For more information on times and locations, please contact Program Director Tammy Capps at 828-259-9717.

Habitat for Humanity, Habitat AmeriCorps – North Carolina: Members will partner with local agencies to host a variety of weeklong service drives, including pet supplies, nonperishable items, books and clothing. Drives will take place in New Hanover, Wake, Durham, Chatham, Union, Avery, Catawba, Guilford and Randolph counties. For more information, please contact National Service Specialist Christy Handwerk at 1-800-422-4828, ext. 4326.

Stokes Partnership for Children, AmeriCorps and Children Together (ACT): Members will organize an “ACT Gets Children Reading” book drive, May 1-16 in Buncombe, Davie, Forsyth, Henderson, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, Alexander, Cabarrus, Durham and Guilford counties. For more information, please contact Program Coordinator Katie Snow at 336-985-2676.

Children’s Village Academy, Project CARE: Members will partner with the Young Women’s Outreach Center of Lenoir County to organize a yard sale at the Children’s Village Academy in Kinston on Saturday, May 16, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Members also will prepare nutritious snack packs for students to take home. For more information, please contact Program Director Melba Lovick at 252-939-1958.

Child Care Services Association, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Corps: Members are organizing a teacher toolbox drive and collecting classroom supplies. They will meet at Child Care Services Association in Durham on May 15 to sort collected supplies and deliver them to participating centers. For more information, please contact Grants and Special Projects Manager Kelly Eppley at 919-403-6950.

UNC-Greensboro Center for New North Carolinians, AmeriCorps Cross Cultural Education Service Systems (ACCESS): Members will organize a school supplies drive to benefit immigrant and refugee school children in Greensboro. The drive runs April 24-May 16. Members also will partner with Habitat for Humanity to build a home in Pittsboro on May 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Training Coordinator Sara Clark at 336-256-1375.

East Carolina University College of Education, High Expectations for At-Risk Teens (HEART): Members and students will participate in drives for items for troops overseas from May 11-15 at middle and high schools in Pitt, Lenoir, Martin and Edgecombe counties. Donated items will be taken to the Greenville location for Give to the Troops on May 18. For more information, please contact Program Director Dr. Betty Beacham at 252-328-1849.

Carolina Mountain Conservancy, Project Conserve: Members are partnering with local Goodwill stores and the High Country Conservancy in Boone to organize a bicycle drive from May 9-23 in support of after-school programs and other youth initiatives. Members will pick up the donated bicycles on May 17 and 24 and donate them to local youth. For more information, please contact Program Director Amy Stout at 828-697-5777.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, N.C. Literacy Corps: Members have organized a school supplies drive from April 27-May 16 to benefit their service locations. School supply donation boxes will be placed at local organizations and businesses, such as libraries, coffee shops and book stores. Activities will occur in Forsyth, Orange, Durham, Guilford, Wake, Robeson and Pitt counties. For more information, please contact Program Director Donna Rasmussen at 919- 962-5470.

The Servant Center Inc., Partnership to End Homelessness: Members will host a non-food drive to collect hygiene items and household supplies for homeless people in Guilford County. Items will be collected at The Servant Center ( 1312 Lexington Ave. ) in Greensboro from April 27-May 15 and distributed among the program’s partner agencies. For more information, please contact Program Director Kathy Vohs at 336-275-8585.

Capital Area Workforce Development Board, Access JobLink: Members will organize a “Drive for Success," which will collect donated professional clothing and personal hygiene items. At the end of the week, Access JobLink also will host a resource and employment assistance event, designed to aid people with barriers to employment, and to provide employment related workshops and resources. For more information, please contact Jane Sterner at 919-856-6117.

The N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, a federally and state-funded agency housed in the Governor’s Office, administered funding to 13 N.C. AmeriCorps programs for the 2008-2009 program year. Members tutor and mentor school-aged youth, improve the quality of care for preschool children and address the need for affordable housing by building houses for low-income families. For more information on the N.C. AmeriCorps programs, visit the Commission’s Web site at www.VolunteerNC.org or call 1-800-820-4483 or 1-877-877-1765 (TTY).

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