Purdy schools picked for AmeriCorps grant

The Corporation for National and Community Service chose the Purdy R-2 School District as a recipient of AmeriCorps grant funding.

The school district located southwest of Springfield is being awarded $74,208 of the total $4.2 million made available to 21 organizations across the state, according to a Missouri Department of Economic Development news release.

AmeriCorps grants provide funding for tutoring and mentoring youth, aiding veterans and military families, pushing forward health education programs, preserving natural resources and disaster recovery efforts.

With its grant funding, Purdy schools can support 12 AmeriCorps members who commit to a year of civil service, according to the release.

“These AmeriCorps members will help strengthen communities as they develop civic and leadership skills to last a lifetime,” Gov. Jay Nixon said in the release.

Last year, Purdy schools received a $71,577 AmeriCorps grant.

Since 1994, the program has solicited help from over 830,000 people to provide 1 billion service hours addressing poverty, hunger, disasters and education issues, according to the release.