AmeriCorps Member @ New Jersey Community Development Corp.

Celebrating our 25th year of creating opportunities to transform lives, New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) is a non-profit organization in Paterson that serves 4,000 inner-city kids and families each day in the areas of education, youth development, affordable housing, and community building.

The mission of NJCDC's AmeriCorps Program, Paterson Community Schools Corps (PCSC) is to eliminate barriers to academic achievement and provide new opportunities to transform the lives of Paterson youth and families. PCSC AmeriCorps Members serve in local elementary schools and high school teen centers as mentors, tutors and leaders providing students with academic support, social and emotional development programming, and family engagement events. Members also enhance existing services, including after school programs and school wide events.

Throughout the year of service, PCSC AmeriCorps members are engaged in countless hours of personal and professional development to prepare them for careers after AmeriCorps. Program alumni have obtained jobs in the following industries: teaching, social work, law and policy, non-profit management, public health, government, Peace Corps, and graduate studies.

Additionally, AmeriCorps Members receive a living allowance of $20,000 for the year ($769 biweekly), federal loan deferment, an educational award of $6,845 (upon program completion), health insurance, and child care payments to a provider if needed.