wfn.org | United Methodists Work with AmeriCorps

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

CONTACT: 	Linda Bloom
(10-21-32-71B){134}
		New York (212) 870-3803			  March 6, 1998

NOTE: This story is accompanied by a sidebar, UMNS story #135.

Churches, government form
partnership through AmeriCorps

	NEW YORK (UMNS) -- A fruitful partnership has emerged between
faith groups and the U.S. government's domestic Peace Corps program,
AmeriCorps, resulting in more than seven million hours given by
church-recruited volunteers.
	The Ecumenical Program for Urban Service (EPRUS), based at the
National Council of Churches (NCC) here, is the largest volunteer
provider for AmeriCorps, according to Harris Wofford.
Wofford, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, is chief executive
officer of the Corporation for National Service, AmeriCorps' parent
agency. Currently, he said, AmeriCorps has $700 million in funding and
about 40,000 volunteers at work.
Doran Porter, a former United Methodist Board of Global Ministries
executive who now directs EPRUS, expects the program to place about
5,400 volunteers during the 1997-98 period. "It's a good partnership,"
he said. "We are the largest service provider in the Education Awards
Only program by far."
All AmeriCorps volunteers are rewarded with educational awards, up to a
maximum of $9,500, at the end of their service. That money can be
applied toward undergraduate or postgraduate studies or used to help pay
off student loans. A smaller number of volunteers also receive a stipend
for living expenses and health insurance.
United Methodists have been an integral part of EPRUS, providing
leadership, volunteers and placement for volunteers, according to Robert
Walton, a Board of Global Ministries executive.
Motivated by the social fallout of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Walton
was part of a 1993 NCC task force envisioning inner-city programs
whereby volunteers would address the needs of at-risk children, youth
and their families.
The task force suggested linking with the Council of Religious Volunteer
Agencies -- a network of mainline denominations, including Catholics --
to place the volunteers.
At the same time, the group talked about working with AmeriCorps.
Congress was developing regulations for the new government program.
"One of the big questions was the separation of church and state,"
Walton acknowledged. "It took a lot of convincing (of Congress) that the
church had a role to play in this."
But EPRUS, born in June 1994, was successful. The government approved
the placement of volunteers in four of the 12 cities listed in its
proposal -- Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Mo. -- and
added a fifth city, Orlando, Fla., the following year. The volunteers
receive a stipend for their work.
"We demonstrated our ability, very successfully, to do what we said we
were going to do," Walton said. "Without a question, our program has
risen to the top in terms of visibility and quality."
This year, United Methodist "Shalom Zone" projects in Miami, Houston,
the Albany, N.Y., area, and South Carolina received a total of 120
AmeriCorps members, paid by stipend, through EPRUS. Placement also
continues in Pittsburgh and Seattle.
Many more are part of the Education Awards Only program. The NCC has
diversified its recruitment by establishing black church and
Latino/Latina church community service programs with EPRUS.
Volunteers are tackling a wide range of needs. For example, in the
Greater Albany area, Shalom Zone workers are involved in after-school
programs, shelters, counseling programs, food distribution, housing and
furniture programs, job acquisition assistance, and drama programs
teaching children alternatives to violence.
The United Methodist volunteers have included all participants in the
US-2, mission intern and summer intern programs, sponsored by the Board
of Global Ministries.
But volunteering isn't restricted to young adults, Porter stressed,
noting that his volunteers range in age from 17 to 85. Retirees can use
education awards to take a few college courses after completing their
service, he said.
EPRUS was to put up a World Wide Web site in March, which will be linked
to the Board of Global Ministries site (www.gbgm-umc.org). United
Methodists interested in information on volunteering can contact the
board's Mission Volunteers Office at (212) 870-3825.
				# # #

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