The Swearing in Ceremony for Inaugural Class of NYC Civic Corps

(Photo credit: Ed Reed)

   About: The NYC Civic Corps

The NYC Civic Corps is based on the notion that civic engagement among all New Yorkers, in every neighborhood and across the five boroughs, is a powerful way to address critical challenges in our city. Even during challenging economic times, we can count on our strongest resource: our people. By harnessing the collective power of New York City's 8.36 million residents, we can make a difference in the quality of life for every New Yorker.

The NYC Civic Corps supports nonprofit organizations and City agencies that want to use more volunteers, but struggle to manage and support sustainable volunteer programs. Our City's supply of ready-to-serve citizens outstrips the ability of our public and nonprofit sectors to accommodate them. The NYC Civic Corps is tasked with correcting this imbalance.

Thanks to a partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service and its AmeriCorps VISTA program, the City inaugurated its first class of NYC Civic Corps members in July 2009. The NYC Civic Corps is the largest of its type VISTA program, and the first program in the nation to specifically address a municipality's need for sustainable-impact volunteer programs.

Corps members are dispatched to local organizations for one year with the charge of developing sustainable volunteer programs and organizational capacity. The ultimate goal of the NYC Civic Corps is to engage more New Yorkers in efforts to help our neighbors and tackle our toughest challenges.

Corps members serve within one of six critical local need areas:

• Strengthening Communities: Keeping our streets safe, our parks green, and our arts and cultural institutions strong
• Helping Neighbors in Need: Assisting those impacted by the economic downturn and other New Yorkers in need
• Education: Helping youth in public schools
• Environment: Reducing energy utilization and shrinking the city's carbon footprint
• Health: Confronting major health challenges
• Emergency Preparedness: Preparing for and responding to emergencies

The work of the inaugural NYC Civic Corps is not only about affecting lasting change in New York City, but it's also about responding to President Obama's call to service and spearheading a nationwide movement among municipalities eager to inaugurate a new era of civic engagement. While New York is the first and currently only city in the country to partner with AmeriCorps in sponsoring a citywide service corps dedicated to addressing our greatest needs, we hope to be a model for other cities across the country. The value of civic engagement cannot be underestimated, and it is integral to making the greatest city in the world even greater.

Facts about the NYC Civic Corps

• Average age of corps members: 26
• Youngest corps member: 21
• Oldest corps member: 72
• Gender: 67% female, 33% male
• Members born in the US: 177, 89%

Countries represented (of those born outside the US): China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Guatemala, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Scotland, South Africa, Togo, Ukraine, and United Kingdom

Members from NYC: 93, 47%
Brooklyn: 25, 27%
Bronx: 13, 14%
Manhattan: 36, 39%
Queens: 17, 18%
Staten Island, 2, 2%

Members from NYS: 136, 68%

Other states represented: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois , Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia.

Host organizations for NYC Civic Corps

• Amigos del Museo del Barrio
• Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters of NYC
• Broadway Housing Communities
• Catholic Big Sisters and Big Brothers
• Catholic Charities NYC
• Citizens Advice Bureau, Inc.
• Citizens Committee for New York City
• Common Cents New York
• Community Environmental Center
• Community Health Action of Staten Island
• Computers For Youth Foundation, Inc.
• CUNY Citizenship and Immigration Project
• d/b/a Spoons Across America
• The Doe Fund
• Doing Art Together, Inc.
• DOROT, Inc.
• Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc.
• Episcopal Social Services of New York, Inc.
• FDNY Foundation
• Federation Employment and Guidance Service, Inc. (FEGS)
• Food Bank
• From Farm to Table, Inc.
• Girls Incorporated
• Global Kids
• Good Shepherd Services
• Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement
• Jewish Association for Services for the Aged
• Jumpstart
• Learning Leaders, Inc.
• Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)
• Long Island City Business Development Corporation
• Mentoring USA
• Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, Inc.
• Moshulu Preservation Corporation
• New York Cares
• New York Legal Assistance Group
• NYC Department for the Aging
• NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, Office of Financial Empowerment
• NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
• NYC Department of Education
• NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
• NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA)
• NYC Mayor's Office of Operations
• Phipps Community Development Corporation
• Planned Parenthood of New York City, Inc.
• ReServe Elder Service Inc.
• Safe Horizon
• SCO Family of Services / Center for Family Life
• Union Settlement Association, Inc.
• United Way of New York City
• University Settlement Society of New York
• Visiting Nurse Service of New York- Time Bank
• Year Up!
• Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association of Washington Heights
• YWCA of the City of New York