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Dear Friends and Colleagues,
One out of every three young people don’t have a trusted adult in their lives outside of their families who they believe they can turn to for advice and guidance. And, 9 million of those young people face a variety of day-to-day challenges that put them at-risk for falling off track.
As we close out National Mentoring Month in January and turn to Social Innovation Month in February, we are celebrating the mentors who help these vulnerable young people succeed through our National Service and Social Innovation Fund programs. President Obama also announced a new AmeriCorps program to help train thousands of teachers in computer science.
And in case you missed it, Super Bowl 50 is this weekend and we're excited to celebrate the fourth year of the Service Bowl bet between Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver and Mayor Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte. Go Broncos! Go Panthers! Go Service!
Thanks and enjoy the game,
 Ted
Miller
Chief of External Affairs
Corporation for National and Community Service
 #ServiceBowl 2016: As the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers
prepare to face off in Super Bowl 50, the mayors from the two cities have come
up with a friendly wager that focuses on the importance of volunteering and
community service. Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver and Mayor
Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte agreed that the winning mayor would arrange for
the mayor from the opposing team to participate in a day of volunteer service
with AmeriCorps members. This will mark the fourth year of the Service Bowl bet. To find a volunteer service project in your area, visit www.serve.gov.
 My Brother's Keeper: During National Mentoring Month in January, NBA Cares and MENTOR: The National Partnership for Mentoring launched the In Real Life campaign in response to President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Mentoring
is a centerpiece of the initiative because of the proven impact on positive outcomes. This week, the Golden State Warriors visited the White House, and Steph Curry encouraged people to sign up to be a mentor at Serve.gov/mentor.
 Investing in Youth: The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, a Social Innovation Fund grantee, invests in nonprofits that improve the lives of disadvantaged youth. They help expand programs with compelling evidence in order to help more vulnerable young people become successful adults by improving academic achievement, building employment skills, and avoiding high-risk behaviors. Read more on our website.
 Habitat on the Hill: Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps members help ensure everyone has a safe, decent and affordable place to live. This week, Habitat affiliates gathered in Washington, D.C. for their annual Habitat on the Hill convening. CNCS CEO Wendy Spencer stopped by to say hello and take a selfie!
 CS for All: In case you missed it, last week President Obama launched a new initiative to empower students with the computer science skills they need to thrive in a digital economy. As part of this new initiative, CNCS launched Computer Science Teachers AmeriCorps to help train thousands of teachers in computer science over the next three years. Visit our website to learn more and sign up for more information.
AmeriCorps
Providing a hand up - not a hand out
The Kingstree News (SC), February 3, 2016
Tashia Harrison, the Telamon YouthBuild project director, is full of energy and
optimism. “The way to improve the quality of life for our youth in Williamsburg
County is to do it one life at a time,” she says, repeating the program’s
slogan. “Many of our local young adults cannot get a job because they do not
have a GED or high school diploma. The program tackles education head-on.”
Through Telamon YouthBuild, participants complete their GED or high school
diploma in small classrooms with trained teachers over an eight-month period.
AmeriCorps NCCC
AmeriCorps NCCC Creates Defensible Space
YubaNet (CA), February 1, 2016
An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team, known as Silver
Six, will be serving with the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County from Jan. 12
through March 14. Silver Six is comprised of 11 members from all over the
country ranging in age from 18 to 24. The Fire Safe Council of Nevada
County (FSCNC) motivates citizens as well as the community to get involved with
local, state and federal partners to address the wildfire hazard.
AmeriCorps VISTA
AmeriCorps members volunteer with Hunger Free America in
Houston
KHOU-TV (TX), January 31, 2016
National AmeriCorps VISTA Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps Program members
with Hunger Free America came together Saturday to volunteer in Houston.
Volunteers convened at Last Organic Outpost, a community garden in northeast
Houston. Members planted, weeded and watered various food in the garden.
Members visited seven other sites in the Houston area where they volunteered in
various capacities. Those at Campus Kitchens at the University of Houston
worked with students to preserve unused food from dining hall facilities and
redistribute it to families at New Hope Housing in Houston’s Third Ward.
Senior Corps
Foster Grandparent program is beneficial for both
children and older adults
The Mexico Ledger (MO), January 28, 2016
It’s been nearly two decades since Lois McDermit retired from teaching
preschool, but she still has plenty of lessons to teach. At the Williams Family
Support Center, there are plenty of young ears eager to hear them. McDermit,
77, volunteers with the Foster Grandparent program at the center, where for the
last 15 years she has been reading books, teaching songs, and playing games and
puzzles with preschool-aged children.
Social Innovation Fund
Pay for Success Can Stretch Agency Budgets, and Already
Has
Government Executive (DC), January 28, 2016
With authorizing legislation that would extend the concept now stalled in
Congress, the Obama administration appears to be following an alternate path to
supporting the small but growing model of performance-based government called
pay for success. Like performance-based contracting, pay-for-success projects
tie payments to proven results. They differ primarily because they often use
rigorous assessments to determine their impact and because they rely on
third-party financing from foundations and other investors to cover costs until
payments are made.
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