Bi-Partisan's Big GIVE

Congress late last week, in a truly bi-partisan move, passed the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act or GIVE. This bill, later renamed the "Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act" will nearly quadruple the size of AmeriCorp from 75,000 to 250,000. AmeriCorp is the American version of the Peace Corp with its focus more of a national setting. Among the deeds this bill does is give those students or former students serving in AmeriCorp mor money for college or to pay off their loans. The money increases from $4,725 to $5,350 to be granted after service has been completed.

This bill also creates several new ways for different agencies to recieve funds via a Social Innovations Funds (SIF) as well as the Volunteer Generations Fund (VGF). The SIF will grant seed money to scale up innovative and evidence based civic infustructure inniciatives. The VGF will fund non-profit and state agencies to recruit, manage and support volunteers.

GIVE will also give middle schoolers through college students the oppertunity to engage in service during the summer and school year with the Summer of Service program aimed at middle and high schoolers. College and universities will become eligable for grants allowing their students to become active during the school year and into their professional days.

The bill, H.R. 1388, also provides seniors citizens with further oppertunities by expanding eligabilities for Senior Companions and Foster Grandparents programs.

We'll skip all the smoke blowing the official White House press release gave Sen. Kennedy, since he did help create this piece of legislature. Needless to say, this was a well timed bill as AmeriCorp has seen its number of aplicants triple in the month of March.