By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
More than 325 new and returning AmeriCorps members were recently sworn in and have committed themselves to a year of service with one of the 20 different AmeriCorps groups across the state.
AmeriCorps is a national service program administered by the bipartisan, governor-appointed group called Serve Kentucky, formerly the Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism and Service. Serve Kentucky is part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the federal Corporation for National and Community Service.
In all, Kentucky has about 900 AmeriCorps members serving in 105 Kentucky counties. The program is funded by nearly $6.7 million AmeriCorps federal service grants, as well as different amounts of local matching funds.
The 20 Kentucky programs are dedicated to efforts such as providing drug resistance education, teaching and tutoring children, combating homelessness, empowering victims of domestic violence, promoting post-secondary opportunities, offering financial literacy resources and assisting low-income elderly residents.
Health experts often refer to these unmet social needs that are addressed by the AmeriCorps programs as "social determinants of health." And it's been proven that these social determinants often have more to do with a person or a communities health outcomes than health care itself.
For example, many of the Kentucky AmeriCorps programs focus on education, which is known to improve a person's social and economic opportunities, factors that ultimately impacts a persons health.
"We know that poverty limits access to healthy foods and safe neighborhoods and that more education is a predictor of better health," says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Commissioner and AmeriCorps alumnus Dr. Jeffrey Howard told the members at the kickoff event about the impact service had had on his life and career, says the news release.
“AmeriCorps gave me the opportunity for experiences and relationships that helped shape my path toward public health services and administration,” Howard said. “Through their service, AmeriCorps members can clearly see the needs of a community and get the chance to fill those needs. Being a part of the Kentucky Department for Public Health is the next step in my service, and I’m so glad AmeriCorps taught me -- as members of this year’s pledge class will learn -- that a commitment to serve can come in many forms.”
Since 1994, more than 12,000 Kentuckians have served approximately 19 million hours and nationally, more than one million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion service hours.
Serve Kentucky's Executive Director Joe Bringardner said, "AmeriCorps members do more than just fulfill a service assignment; they make communities stronger and better prepared for the future.”
Kentucky Health News
More than 325 new and returning AmeriCorps members were recently sworn in and have committed themselves to a year of service with one of the 20 different AmeriCorps groups across the state.
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| More than 325 AmeriCorps members were sworn into service Sept. 25 in Frankfort at the Kentucky State Capitol . |
In all, Kentucky has about 900 AmeriCorps members serving in 105 Kentucky counties. The program is funded by nearly $6.7 million AmeriCorps federal service grants, as well as different amounts of local matching funds.
The 20 Kentucky programs are dedicated to efforts such as providing drug resistance education, teaching and tutoring children, combating homelessness, empowering victims of domestic violence, promoting post-secondary opportunities, offering financial literacy resources and assisting low-income elderly residents.
Health experts often refer to these unmet social needs that are addressed by the AmeriCorps programs as "social determinants of health." And it's been proven that these social determinants often have more to do with a person or a communities health outcomes than health care itself.
For example, many of the Kentucky AmeriCorps programs focus on education, which is known to improve a person's social and economic opportunities, factors that ultimately impacts a persons health.
"We know that poverty limits access to healthy foods and safe neighborhoods and that more education is a predictor of better health," says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Commissioner and AmeriCorps alumnus Dr. Jeffrey Howard told the members at the kickoff event about the impact service had had on his life and career, says the news release.
“AmeriCorps gave me the opportunity for experiences and relationships that helped shape my path toward public health services and administration,” Howard said. “Through their service, AmeriCorps members can clearly see the needs of a community and get the chance to fill those needs. Being a part of the Kentucky Department for Public Health is the next step in my service, and I’m so glad AmeriCorps taught me -- as members of this year’s pledge class will learn -- that a commitment to serve can come in many forms.”
Since 1994, more than 12,000 Kentuckians have served approximately 19 million hours and nationally, more than one million men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.4 billion service hours.
Serve Kentucky's Executive Director Joe Bringardner said, "AmeriCorps members do more than just fulfill a service assignment; they make communities stronger and better prepared for the future.”
from Kentucky Health News https://ift.tt/2Ro8DEs
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