WASHINGTON, D.C. — In recognition of his strong support for AmeriCorps, Voices for National Service announced earlier this week that Governor Jared Polis received the Franklin D. Roosevelt Service and Conservation Corps Leadership Award. Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera attended the 21st Annual Friends of National Service Awards in Washington, D.C. to accept the award on behalf of the Polis-Primavera administration. The award comes as AmeriCorps celebrates its 30th anniversary. Serve Colorado, located within the Office of the Lt. Governor, manages AmeriCorps programs across the state of Colorado.
“Colorado is proud of all the incredible work our Americorps members do in communities around our state. From supporting student learning to wildfire mitigation, they are making our communities stronger every day. We are thrilled this nation-leading work is being honored,” said Governor Jared Polis.
Voices for National Service advocates for public support of AmeriCorps programs that respond to the country’s most immediate and pressing challenges from natural disasters to education, supporting veterans, and more. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Service and Conservation Corps Leadership Award is given to a government leader who has championed the important role of Service and Conservation Corps in modern day America, reflective of the legendary ideals and work accomplished by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Depression-Era Civilian Conservation Corps.
“Governor Polis and I are proud of the nation-leading work that Serve Colorado, AmeriCorps members, and our local partners are carrying out when it comes to building a healthier, stronger, and resilient state. We thank Voices for National Service for this important honor as we continue in our pursuit of expanding the impact of national service across Colorado,” said Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera.
“As both a congressman and governor, Jared Polis has been a vocal champion for AmeriCorps as a strategy to address pressing local challenges, prepare tomorrow’s leaders with in-demand job skills, and make our nation more resilient and unified,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service. “Governor Polis has demonstrated his unwavering support of AmeriCorps as a people-driven solution to our most pressing challenges. We’re proud to honor him with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Service and Conservation Corps Leadership Award.”
Two years ago, the Polis-Primavera Administration launched the Colorado Climate Corps, which deploys AmeriCorps members across the state to mitigate the threat of wildfires, improve trails, and upgrade homes with energy-efficient improvements. The Climate Corps is proving that AmeriCorps can be part of the solution to the intersecting challenges of climate change. This Colorado innovation has been a model for several states that have launched similar programs, as well as President Biden’s new American Climate Corps.
The Polis-Primavera Administration is also working to align AmeriCorps service and workforce development, helping to establish career pathways and additional benefits for both AmeriCorps members and communities. AmeriCorps members serving with Colorado Public Health Works are now working to complete a Community Health Worker Registered Apprenticeship. Likewise, second year AmeriCorps members working in education can complete a teacher preparation and licensure program through a partnership with the Colorado Department of Education.
In 2023, over 1,300 members of AmeriCorps served in Colorado, responding to the state’s most immediate and critical needs. They served at more than 630 locations across the state including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, veterans’ facilities, and other local nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations. The AmeriCorps agency has invested more than $45 million in federal funding to support cost-effective community solutions in Colorado, working hand-in-hand with local partners to empower individuals to help communities tackle their toughest challenges. Through this public-private partnership, every $1 Congress invests in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors returns more than $17 in benefits to our country. The program, which both Republican and Democratic presidents have supported since its inception, is in its 30th year.
Governor Polis joins a bipartisan group of 13 distinguished government leaders being honored this year. See the full list of awardees here.
Previous recipients of the FDR Service and Conservation Corps Leadership Award include Senators John McCain, Jeff Bingaman, Jeff Merkley, Lisa Murkowski, Michael Bennet, and Edward Markey, Representatives Joe Neguse and Raul Grijalva, and former Secretaries of the Interior Sally Jewell and Ken Salazar.