Events in Review, Announcements & Reminders, Public Policy Updates, and more!
Quarterly E-News | Fall Edition
September 2022

Events in Review

ASC Innovation & Leadership Awards

ASC25 logo on a light blue background

We hosted our annual Innovation & Leadership Awards last week on September 22. The live, virtual awards reception kicked off a year's worth of celebrations in honor of our silver anniversary — we've been uniting states in service for 25 years!

The event was an amazing celebration! We featured a gallery of artwork created by AmeriCorps alums; a youth DJ spun some rockin' tunes; and three poets performed incredible spoken word pieces. We also heard from ASC Leadership, including CEO Kaira Esgate and outgoing Board Chair Maureen Eccleston; hosted networking lounges; and had several sponsors exhibit in our virtual expo hall. In addition, our silent auction raised $2,500, and we received $2,500 in donations plus a $2,500 match from a generous donor! 

Thank you to everyone who attended the event. We loved celebrating with you! We'd also like to send a very hearty congratulations to all of our award winners:

  • Outstanding Commission Staff Member: Kate Scheuritzel, Serve Connecticut
  • Outstanding Commissioner: Charlette Kremer, Serve Idaho
  • Outstanding Commission Executive Director: John Kelly, Serve Colorado
  • Outstanding Service Program: Green Iowa AmeriCorps
  • Outstanding Service Program Staff Member: Erika Hermosillo, Stockton Service Corps
  • ASC Honor Roll: LaDawn Stoddard
  • State Service Leadership Award: California Governor Gavin Newsom
  • Friend of ASC: Schultz Family Foundation

Watch the reception on YouTube.

Summer Convenings

ASC summer events web banner; text includes Grantmaking & Program Officer Convenings, June 11-14, Des Moines, IA; Volunteer Generation Fund Convening, July 12, Orlando, FL; Commission Disaster Convening, August 9-10, Austin, TX

We hosted three in-person events this summer for commission staff: Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) Convening, Commission Disaster Convening, and Grantmaking and Program Officer Convenings. Each of these events was designed to offer training opportunities to commission staff with specific roles. Our Engagement Team enjoyed connecting with everyone who attended these events! View event photos on Flickr.

 
States for Serve logo and white text that reads Public Policy Coalition

Public Policy Updates

State Service Caucus

In June, ASC launched the State Service Caucus (SSC), a bipartisan coalition of state legislators committed to supporting and expanding national service and volunteerism. Co-chaired by Representative Dave Baker (R-MN) and Representative Morgan Reilly (D-ME), the SSC meets quarterly, and is currently made up of over 30 legislators from 16 states. If you or a state legislator you know might be interested in joining the SSC, please visit our website to learn more.
 
In August, the SSC organized a panel presentation at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The panelists — Sonali Nijhawan, Director of AmeriCorps State and National; John Kelly, Executive Director of Serve Colorado; Representative Dave Baker (D-MN); and Representative Matt Wilhelm (D-NH) — discussed how national service programs, like AmeriCorps, can strengthen the country’s workforce and help heal our divided nation. Watch the panel on YouTube.

In This Issue

  • Events in Review
    • Innovation & Leadership Awards
    • Summer Convenings
  • Announcements & Reminders
    • New Board Slate
    • Annual Report
    • Afterschool Grants
  • S4S Public Policy Updates
    • State Service Caucus
  • 25th Anniversary Philanthropy Corner
 

Announcements & Reminders

New Board of Directors

We are pleased to share that our new slate of Board members and officers was approved during our annual Membership Assembly on September 20. The new Board of Directors will officially begin its 2022-2023 term on October 1.

2021 Annual Report

front cover of 2021 ASC Annual Report; text includes Equity & Inclusion: Expanding National Service; black and white photo of an AmeriCorps member smiling and looking off camera; ASC logo

ASC released its 2021 annual report earlier this month. In addition to sharing many accomplishments from last year, the report also focuses on ASC's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Afterschool Grants

We announced last month that, thanks to generous funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, we awarded grants to support afterschool programs in five states: Alaska, Iowa, Michigan, Utah, and Wyoming.

 

25th Anniversary Philanthropy Corner

GivePulse logo

Introducing our 25th Anniversary Philanthropy Corner! We'll be including a philanthropy update in each quarterly newsletter during our 25th anniversary celebrations over the next year.

This quarter, we'd like to send a very special thank you to our Year of Silver sponsor, GivePulse, who has donated $25,000 to support our 25th anniversary. Thank you, GivePulse!

 

About America’s Service Commissions (ASC)

America’s Service Commissions is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing and promoting the 52 state service commissions across the United States and territories with the mission to lead and elevate the state service network. State service commissions are governor-appointed public agencies or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,000 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering more than 75 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs.