For the 13th consecutive year, AmeriCorps State and National State and National has awarded Up2Us Sports critical funding for our national service coaching program. 204 AmeriCorps members will join Up2Us Coach during the 2021-2022 service year and get trained in our trauma-informed approach to coaching, which ensures they can perform a critical role in helping youth in underserved communities heal and thrive. The $1.65 million grant from AmeriCorps State and National will support AmeriCorps members nationally. 

In addition. Up2Us Sports will receive funding at the state level through local state commissions with added support from CaliforniaVolunteers, Serve Illinois, Volunteer Louisiana, PennSERVE and Serve Washington. More information on state commission grants will be announced as it becomes available.

“It is critically important that we support a national service corps of coaches trained to be caring adult mentors for our youth. With COVID-19 and the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, our kids need adults to help them overcome the isolation and trauma they are experiencing in our communities.” said Paul Caccamo, founder and CEO of Up2Us Sports. “This support from the Corporation for National and Community Service demonstrates the role that national service can play in helping our nation, our communities and our youth heal.”

CNCS will provide an additional $1.26 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After completing a full term of service, AmeriCorps members receive an award of approximately $6,000 that they can use to pay for college or to pay off student loans.

Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through 21,000+ schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of communities affected by disasters and helped thousands of first-generation college students access higher education. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs.

AmeriCorps is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency for volunteering and service, and recently marked its 25th anniversary. Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 1.1 million AmeriCorps members have served the nation, providing more than 1.6 billion hours of service and earning nearly $4 billion in education awards to pay for college or pay back student loans. Those interested in joining AmeriCorps can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/Join.

We are currently actively recruiting coaches interested in becoming a coach-mentor in their community, as well as organizations interested in hosting these coach-mentos. For more information about how to become a coach or how to host a coach with our AmeriCorps-funded national coaching program in your market, contact jack@up2ussports.org.