Jackson Free Press

Several state nonprofits received a boost to their programs July 7, when the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service announced $10 million in federal grant allocations for the state's AmeriCorps program.

The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service's governor-appointed board of commissioners selected 10 nonprofits for the funds based on their past success rate in alleviating poverty, increasing educational awareness and strengthening communities.

The Commission manages the state's AmeriCorps program, works with disaster response and facilitates community-service engagement projects.

Once of the largest funded grantees, America Reads-Mississippi, received $6.7 million for 350 AmeriCorps members to tutor children in 85 schools in the state. The funds provide stipends for the AmeriCorps members' year-long service, and also go to fund staff positions, development and training.

"Our goal as a program is to have students increase by one reading level by the (end) of their tutoring after one year," America Reads-Mississippi Program Director Ronjanett Taylor says.

The Americorps members also work on other community service projects during their service such as engaging community members in literacy outreach and organizing projects for disabled students, Taylor says.

Other grant recipients include: Delta Service Corps, Biloxi CDC/ Youth Build, Grenada School District, Hands on Mississippi, City of Jackson, LIFE/ Project LINC, Piney Woods School, the University of Mississippi and various childcare centers in Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties,

This article has been updated to reflect a correction in America-Reads Program Director Ronjanett Taylor's quote. We apologize for the error..