New Funding from The Allstate Foundation Will Expand Youth-Led Service in Multiple States

The $300,000 grant was awarded to America’s Service Commissions, a leader in the service and volunteerism sector and the collective voice of the state service network.

Washington, DC — America’s Service Commissions is pleased to announce that it has received a $500,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation to expand youth-led service initiatives. The funding will support 10 state service commissions, each receiving an 18-month subgrant to support a range of initiatives including service project mini-grants for young people ages 5-25, support to new or existing youth advisory councils, and training to nonprofits to empower youth-led service.

The 10 state service commissions include:

• Serve Connecticut
• Volunteer Iowa
• Serve Idaho
• Massachusetts Service Alliance
• Michigan Community Service Commission
• Nevada Volunteers
• New Jersey Commission on National and Community Service
• New York State Commission on National and Community Service
• UServeUtah
• Serve Wisconsin

In addition, ASC is making $1,500 mini-grants available to Youth Commissioners, individuals ages 16-25 serving as a youth representative on a governor designated state service commission. The funding is available on a rolling basis with eight Youth Commissioner projects already funded.

• Julia Van Steenberghe of Volunteer Maine is leading a beautification of Somerset project.
• LeRoi Emerson of EngageAR is leading a health fair to address food insecurity in Arkansas.
• Brooke Bradford of EngageAR is leading a college readiness initiative for graduating high school senior girls.
• Alina Rahim of Serve Idaho is leading a technology STEAM based summer camp program.
• Shayna Canty of PennSERVE is leading an essay contest on service.
• Cameron McKenzie of the New Jersey Commission on National and Community Service is leading an urban reforestation event in Camden.
• LuTia Colbert of Serve Wisconsin is leading a summer garden initiative for youth ages 12-15.
• Kristopher Hill of the Michigan Community Service Commission is leading a youth mental health program.
• Madison Craig of Volunteer Iowa is leading a project increasing awareness of rural health disparities in Iowa.

ASC will provide ongoing technical support and facilitate peer learning throughout the duration of the grants.

“ASC is thrilled to partner with The Allstate Foundation to make new resources available to expand youth-led service opportunities,” says Kaira Esgate, ASC CEO. “Providing young people with the opportunity to serve develops an ethic of service that lasts a lifetime and skill development that supports their education and career goals.”

“The Allstate Foundation is proud to support ASC, which play an indispensable role in supporting youth-led service and equipping young people with the vital tools needed to serve their communities,” said Greg Weatherford II, Youth Empowerment Program Officer for The Allstate Foundation. “We hope the efforts of these state service commissions and Youth Commissioners inspire more youth to serve and accelerate positive change where they live and beyond.”

Also of note is that ASC staff are associate editors of a collaborative new report, Leveraging the Potential of Youth Service: A Call to Action, written by the Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity and funded by The Allstate Foundation. The report lays out a new vision for youth-led, youth-driven service.

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About America’s Service Commissions
America’s Service Commissions (ASC) 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.

About The Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation empowers people and communities so they can thrive. Established in 1952, The Foundation takes bold actions and inspires people to act by empowering youth to serve and improve communities, working to close the racial wage gap, and disrupting the cycle of relationship abuse. The Foundation also supports nonprofit leaders through the Nonprofit Leadership Center.