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Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation announced that it received continued funding of $421,852 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. This grant will continue SMIF’s AmeriCorps LEAP (Learning Early Achieves Potential) Initiative program.

AmeriCorps State and National, a federal-state partnership with a central role for governor-appointed State Service Commissions, develops and implements state-specific national service programs. These grants allow organizations to recruit, train and supervise AmeriCorps members who are providing services to support education, disaster services, health, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity and service to veterans and military families.

“Over 27 years ago I had the honor to help create the AmeriCorps program while serving in Congress,” said SMIF president and CEO Tim Penny. “We know that investments in children are an investment in our future. The AmeriCorps LEAP program is a great way for individuals, age 18 to retirement, to make a difference in the lives of children, pre-K classrooms and a community. National service is an experience where lives are changed, careers launched and a deeper understanding of civic engagement in service to community is discovered and celebrated.”