Metro BrigAIDe 2019 Outstanding Service Program of the year

WASHINGTON, DC – Metropolitan Ministries’ Metro BrigAIDe AmeriCorps program was announced as the 2019 Outstanding Service Program of the year last week at a reception held in the Washington, DC area.

The award was presented to CEO, Tim Marks, Associate Director John Paul Comas, and Grant Coordinator Gordana Krone by America’s Service Commissions (ASC) at the association’s annual Innovation and Leadership Awards event as a national awardee.

“I am so proud of this team who are helping hundreds of hurting people with life-saving resources every day. They took a start-up initiative and received national recognition in less than a year. Their efforts would not be possible without our Volunteer Florida and AmeriCorps partnerships, and we are humbled by America’s Service Commissions’ validation,” said Marks.

The awards program is held each year to recognize the leadership and accomplishments of state service commissions and their commissioners, staff, service programs, and legislative champions from across the United States and its territories.

Metropolitan Ministries’ Metro BrigAIDe has been a catalyst to bring the organization’s services into the community. Through the program, AmeriCorps members and staff help provide life-saving resources for homeless individuals including access to housing, medical care, and social service resources at 14 partner locations to assist clients with improving health outcomes and securing stable housing to move out of homelessness long term. The Ministries also operates a successful AmeriCorps VISTA project that has helped grow financial and in-kind resources.

AmeriCorps funding is provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and administered by Florida’s state service commission, Volunteer Florida. Through this national service funding, Metropolitan Ministries has expanded its services for homeless and at-risk families from 70 families to as many as 740 families annually and 40,000 meals per month. Metropolitan Ministries also received a Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant through Volunteer Florida this past year, which has helped grow the overall volunteer program to 23,000 volunteers strong.

“I could not be prouder of what Metropolitan Ministries has accomplished with the help of AmeriCorps,” said Cat Keen, National Service Programs Director with Volunteer Florida, who nominated the organization for the award. “Their team has worked hand-in-hand with the local police department and county sheriff’s office to address homelessness-related health emergencies and public safety challenges.Now law enforcement and partner agencies refer to their AmeriCorps members as “the green shirts” who have come to represent safety, resources, and hope for those in need.”

“We are delighted to recognize Metropolitan Ministries as this year’s Outstanding Service Program,” said Kaira Esgate, CEO of America’s Service Commissions. “Very few nonprofits are able to successfully manage multiple, complex federal AmeriCorps and national service grants as they have done – especially with such impressive community outcomes and impact.”

There were more than 500 nominations nationwide, and only one winner was selected.

About America’s Service Commissions

America’s Service Commissions (ASC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing and promoting the 52 state service commissions across the United States and territories with the mission to lead and elevate the state service network. State service commissions are governor-appointed public agencies or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,000 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering 80 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs. Learn more at statecommissions.org.

About Metropolitan Ministries

As a local, independent nonprofit, we have provided services that alleviate suffering, promote dignity, and instill self-sufficiency for poor and homeless families in Tampa Bay since 1972. The Ministries’ vision is to be America’s most effective and innovative caregiver for those in need. Metropolitan Ministries’ main campus is located at 2002 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33602 and the Pasco campus is located at 3214 US HWY 19, Holiday, FL 34691. For more information visit www.metromin.org.

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