Blog

by Imran Battla

 LRAM Education Fund is proud to host the River 11 AmeriCorps NCCC team from August 9 to September 27! We were just awarded a ten person AmeriCorps NCCC team to work in solidarity with LRAM volunteers and support our programs including, Retrofit A Million, Urban Gardening Resiliency Oasis (UGRO) and our continuous management and improvement of the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC).
For the next two months, the River 11 team- ages 18 to 26 from all over the United States will be living and working in the Historic southwest Atlanta. They will be helping to augment our outreach, mobilization, and overall operational support for Retrofit A Million, as well as, contribute valuable conservation and community development efforts at the OAC and UGRO.
Immersed in our environmental justice service projects the River 11 will be getting their hands dirty, maintaining and developing a 3/4 acre community garden (UGRO); removing invasive species and building trails at the OAC; participating in Retrofit Days of Action; and documenting their efforts with our Marketing and Communications department. (Stay Tuned for Vlogs!!)

AmeriCorps members will also have opportunities to engage with Atlanta's leaders in Environmental Justice during our Environmental Justice Leadership Series as well as scheduled Friday outings that promote life lessons in Environmental Justice, Anti-Oppresion training, and Community Organizing. Best of all, their service will culminate by hosting 3 Retrofit Days of Action (RDA's) in the community surrounding their temporary housing apart of LRAM’s Atlanta Green Light Corridor™.

As Senior Program Manager for the LRAM Education Fund, I cannot tell you how excited we are to host the River 11 team this year. They will provide needed capacity development and organizational support for us. We enthusiastically welcome AmeriCorps into our sustainability commitment to action. Their energy, hard work, and spirit of service is a tremendous asset not only to the LRAM family, but also, to the greater Atlanta community and we are grateful for their support.

Keep up with AmeriCorps Great Work! Be sure to Follow @AmeriCorpsNCCC and @LRAMFund  as well as visit our facebook, blogs, and check out our Youtube Videos.

Here is a little more about AmeriCorps NCCC

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,100 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term, Corps Members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. Members mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The Southern Region campus in Vicksburg, MS is one of five regional hubs in the United States and serves eleven states in the southeast part of the country. The other campuses are located in Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; Perry Point, Maryland; and Vinton, Iowa.
In exchange for their service, Corps Members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.