Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives Announces Volunteer Maryland 2019 Early Achievements

Nearly 4,000 Volunteers Mobilized, More Than 33,000 Hours Served Across Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives announced today that VolunteerMaryland, an AmeriCorps program within their office, has released their quarterly volunteer numbers for the current service year, which runs from August 2018 to July 2019. AmeriCorps members have mobilized nearly 4,000 volunteers, including 2,331 new volunteers, and served more than 33,000 volunteer hours at various nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or schools. Members help these organizations to address complex community issues including human trafficking, environmental stewardship, education, hunger, and housing/shelter assistance.

“Maryland has a proud history of promoting service and civic engagement, so it’s no wonder Maryland has been ranked among the top 10 states in the U.S. for volunteering and charitable giving,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “We commend the continuing efforts of Volunteer Maryland and encourage all Marylanders to join our efforts to improve our state through service.”

There are currently 26 Volunteer Coordinators serving in organizations throughout the state, including two members serving in Volunteer Maryland’s main office as Peer Leaders.

“Today, we celebrate and thank Volunteer Maryland for their unwavering support of Maryland communities over the past 25 years,” said Steven McAdams, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. “We have seen first-hand the incredible impact Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps members have had in the community – allowing nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and schools to increase capacity and recruit volunteers.”

To engage more Marylanders online, Volunteer Maryland launched a social media campaign to highlight the impact of members throughout the years. The campaign will be featured on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Over the first quarter of 2019, Volunteer Maryland social media engaged 12,000 followers and welcomed nearly 3,000 new visitors to the website.

Volunteer Maryland also recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, recognizing that over that time, the organization has partnered with over 300 organizations and mobilized over 135,000 volunteers for a total of 2 million hours served.

“Our Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps members do incredible work, so we are always excited to celebrate the impact they make across Maryland communities,” said Nicole Fiocco, Director of Volunteer Maryland. “It is through their commitment to national service that we are making communities stronger, healthier, and safer.”

Volunteer Maryland has received over 35 applications from service organizations for the 2019-2020 service year, 16 of which are returning organizations. For more information on becoming a Service Site, visit https://volunteer.maryland.gov/servicesites/.

AmeriCorps member recruitment for Volunteer Maryland runs through late August. If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps member, visit: http://volunteer.maryland.gov/acm/.