Rep. Ami Bera with graduates at the Improve Your Tomorrow graduation ceremony, June 2023. Photo courtesy of Office of Rep. Ami Bera

 

WASHINGTON, DC (MPG) - U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) today announced that Improve Your Tomorrow, a Sacramento-based nonprofit, has been selected to receive a federal award of $225,900 per year. The funding, made available through AmeriCorps VISTA, will bolster college readiness for Sacramento area youth and will support 10 year-round service positions locally.

“I am thrilled to share that Improve Your Tomorrow has been chosen to receive over $225,000 in federal funding, furthering their vital mission of empowering Sacramento young men of color to pursue and graduate from college,” said Representative Ami Bera. “AmeriCorps volunteers are among the most dedicated and selfless contributors to our society, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these 10 volunteers make on the Sacramento community.”

Improve Your Tomorrow is a Sacramento-based nonprofit that is working to empower and uplift young men of color throughout California by enabling them to pursue and complete their college education.

“Improve Your Tomorrow is profoundly honored to stand among the four distinguished AmeriCorps VISTA Awardees in California. This kind of unwavering support from Congressman Ami Bera and AmeriCorps California showcases a commitment to expanding service opportunities that address critical achievement gaps within our education system. Thanks to the advocacy of youth champions like Congressman Bera, Improve Your Tomorrow will harness the transformative power of the VISTA program — a pinnacle of professional service opportunities in our state. This investment in at-promise youth will undoubtedly propel improved outcomes for the thousands of young men of color we are dedicated to serving,” said Michael Lynch, CEO & Co-Founder, Improve Your Tomorrow.

In addition to the award announced today, AmeriCorps will also provide more than $68,950 each year in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps VISTA members supported by this award to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for service and volunteering, brings people together to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. Every year, tens of thousands AmeriCorps members serve through 21,000+ schools, nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations and state, tribal and local governments across the country. Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 1 million Americans have served in AmeriCorps, providing more than 1.6 billion hours of service and earned more than $4 billion in education scholarships. For those interested in joining AmeriCorps, you can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/Join.