Program Summary: The mission of AmeriCorps is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering.The Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service in partnership with the California Volunteer Fund and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is seeking to create new programs for the Climate Corps model. Serve Illinois believes there is great opportunity to support communities in Illinois by building relationships and growing areas in need of services.AmeriCorps Climate Corps programs would deploy AmeriCorps members to work on implementing a ‘door-to-door’ outreach strategy to connect and listen to the residents directly impacted by climate change. Climate Corps grantees will have an end product: assessment of the community and its climate challenges, an implementation plan with community buy-in, and goals and objectives to seek additional, multi-year funding among private and public funders to continue the work from the assessment.
Funding Priorities: AmeriCorps Climate Corps programs would deploy members to work on implementing a ‘door-to-door’ outreach strategy to connect and listen to the residents directly impacted by climate change. Climate Corps grantees will have an end product: assessment of the community and its climate challenges, an implementation plan with community buy-in, and goals and objectives to seek additional, multi-year funding among private and public funders to continue the work from the assessment.By assessing the needs of individuals on a community level, Climate Corps would be able build trust and a plan with hyperlocal input to:
1. build preparedness,
2. create better access to resources,
3. educate in the areas that the individual and/or community are requesting support,
4. breakdown top-down assumptions and decisions,
5. gain buy-in for more long-term plans to build resiliency, and
6. provide assistance in connecting the individuals and community in addressing trauma and other stressed related disorders due to climate change in their regions.