2009 Annual Report - Kitsap Community Resources

Getting The Job Done
KCR AmeriCorps is a national service program that creates an opportunity for people of all ages and
backgrounds to earn help with college tuition in exchange for one year of community service. Whether that
service is to give a child the confidence to do well in school, protect the environment, or provide disaster relief,
AmeriCorps team members worked hard in 2010 to get the job done.
40 full-time and 40 part-time team members each earned an educational stipend and were provided professional
development, civic, social, planning and volunteerism training. Providing community service through a network
of local partner host sites and completing 28 separate community improvement projects, AmeriCorps team
members completed 63,652 of hours of community service within Kitsap County. This service met many critical
needs within our community, including...
• Tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged youth
• Improving health services
• Managing and operating after-school programs
• Fighting illiteracy
• Cleaning parks and streams
• Helping communities respond to disasters
Our Chance to Make A Better World
After floods hit the southern region of the United States, AmeriCorps team members Jillayne Newquist and
William Cook were there. As AmeriCorps team members assigned to serve with the American Red Cross,
Jillayne and William spent many weeks providing CPR and Basic Emergency Response education training to
local Kitsap County school children, but the recent flooding disaster pulled them away from their regular service
area and into a national disaster response effort.
Jillayne was placed in the Red Cross headquarters to assist in the monstrous organizational
efforts surrounding this national disaster response and William worked in a shelter that
housed flood victims.
“It has been an exciting experience to be involved with so many community
projects and efforts. As a Public Health major I was attracted to the Red Cross
and I’m really thankful for the opportunity to serve through AmeriCorps. I
feel like I’m really doing something helpful,” explained Jillayne, a Brigham
Young University student.
“I knew I liked teaching and had experience teaching safety classes, but my
experience in AmeriCorps has deepened my commitment to community
service. I plan to continue serving through the Red Cross after completing
my commitment to AmeriCorps. I have learned a lot and I am impressed
and proud of how much we do for the community,” remarked William, a
student at Olympic College.
More To The Story…..
• In 2010, AmeriCorps team members completed 63,652 hours
of community service
• 18 non-profit community partners and local government agencies
served as host agencies to KCR AmeriCorps team members
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• AmeriCorps team members recruited and worked with 12,000
community members to complete 28 service projects in Kitsap County
• Illahee State Park averted closure due to AmeriCorps and community
volunteers restoring trails and completing park clean-up that the City
of Bremerton was unable to fund