FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cameron Smith

August 1, 2013

Cell: 207-952-1894
Email: AmeriCorps.NCCC.Raven1@gmail.com

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Improves Facilities,

Enhances Capacity of Phoenix Charter Academy

Lawrence, Mass. A team with the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), an AmeriCorps program, is
assisting with facilities improvements at Phoenix Charter Academy, a school devoted to helping educationallychallenged students from low-income families improve academic achievement through rigorous coursework and
constant support.
The team of 10 NCCC members, known as Raven 1, will be moving the contents of the schools building in
Lawrence to a new, larger facility in Chelsea, enabling the school to host over 200 additional students. The team
will also be repainting and refurbishing many rooms in the Chelsea facility.
Our work with Phoenix Charter Academy will make an important difference in the education and lives of many
children, said Oliver Jacobs-Dougherty, Raven 1 Team Leader. It is an honor to be allowed to make such a
difference.
For three weeks, the team will be living in the community, staying in several rooms provided by a local church.
Based in Perry Point, Md., the team consists of young adults from across the country. In addition to assisting
Phoenix Charter Academy, team members will seek out independent community service projects with local nonprofit organizations and hold outreach events to engage youth in community service.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,100 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their
10-month term, Corps Members all 18 to 24 years old work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to
natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and
rural development. Members mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams,
help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The Atlantic Region campus in Perry Point is one of
five regional hubs in the United States and serves fourteen states in the northeast part of the country. The other campuses are located in
Denver, Colorado, Sacramento, California, Vicksburg, Mississippi and Vinton, Iowa.
In exchange for their service, Corps Members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits
include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active
citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service,
a federal agency. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering.
For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit NationalService.gov

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region

PO Box 27, Perry Point Md. 21902 | Phone: (800) 949-1003 ext. 6849 | Fax: (410) 642-1888

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AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Atlantic Region

PO Box 27, Perry Point Md. 21902 | Phone: (800) 949-1003 ext. 6849 | Fax: (410) 642-1888