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Since 1999, AMERICORPS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER
(ACT) has been “Getting Things Done” for children in North Carolina. ACT combines the AmeriCorps national service
program with North Carolina’s Smart Start initiative. ACT serves young children by placing AmeriCorps members in
childcare settings as Early Childhood Education Assistants.
The ACT program was designed to assist with the need for teacher education and the enhancement of quality childcare,
for children 0 to 5. ACT does this by:
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training AmeriCorps members in child development and early childhood education.
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utilizing members as substitute teachers, thereby providing regular teachers / providers with release
from the classroom to pursue coursework in early childhood education.
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utilizing members as assistant teachers as a means to reduce the high teacher-child ratios and provide additional resources to care providers.
 The AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance for
providing these services, and an Education Award. As well, the program provides tuition for ACT members to enroll in college courses and earn NC Early Childhood Credentials I & II.
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that
uses more than 50,000 Americans annually to meet educational, public safety, environmental and human service
needs. Participants, called “members,” are placed in non-profits, public agencies and faith-based organizations
throughout the United States. More than 300,000 individuals have served as AmeriCorps members since the program’s
inception in 1993. Approximately three quarters of the annual program budget is provided through a federal grant from the
NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.
For more information please contact Katie Snow at
336-985-2676 x168 or
email
ksnow@stokespfc.com.
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