Michelle Malkin » Your AmeriCorps grant dollars at work

Your AmeriCorps grant dollars at work

By Michelle Malkin • June 16, 2009 03:25 PM

Photoshop credit: Leo Alberti

Spend, spend, spend — and no one to watch over all this new AmeriCorps spending. The Obamas wouldn’t have it any other way:

The Corporation for National and Community Service’s announcement today of the winners of the 2009 grant competition brings the number of AmeriCorps members who should be in place by the fall to almost 88,000, corporation officials said.

The appropriation in the 2009 budget fully funds about 75,000 positions and stimulus funds added about 13,000 more positions.

The largest grant among new and recompete grantees recommended by state commissions – a total of $41.6 million in grants – is $4.66 million to the Washington State Employment Security Department for the Washington Service Corps. The largest total for a single program brand was $6.9 million that went to City Year locations in Boston ($1.76 million), Chicago (@1.1 million), Cleveland ($598,000), Louisiana ($738,000), Philadelphia ($2.3 million) and San Antonio ($403,200).

Other grants to state commissions that topped $1 million went to: Bay Area Community Resources/ BAYAC Americorps, $1.36 million; the Minnesota Literary Council for the Minnesota Reading Corps, $1.8 million; the Montana Conservation Corps, $1.5 million; and New York’s Harlem’s Children’s Zone for its Peacemaker Program, $1.35 million.

City Year’s Boston headquarters received the largest new national direct grant: $3.1 million of the total $19.7 million awarded in that category. Other $1 million plus grants went to: Public Allies’ Wisconsin headquarters, $2.7 million; Habitat for Humanity, $2.96 million; Massachusetts’ Jumpstart for Young Children, $1.96 million; and Washington. D.C.-based National Association for Public Interest Law for its Equal Justice Works, $1.16 million.

Public Allies is the Americorps-funded non-profit tied to both Barack and Michelle Obama:

President-elect Obama was a member of the founding advisory board of Public Allies. Michelle was the founding Executive Director of Public Allies Chicago from Spring, 1993 until Fall, 1996, and served on our national board of directors from 1997 until 2001. President-elect Obama was no longer on the board of Public Allies when Michelle was hired. Before joining Public Allies, she was an attorney at the law firm of Sidley & Austin and Deputy Director of Community Development for the City of Chicago.

Under Michelle’s leadership, Public Allies Chicago pioneered many elements of Public Allies’ program model. To identify and develop the next generation of Chicago leaders, she recruited young people from housing projects and youth centers as well colleges and universities. Her emphasis on indigenous leadership and belief that all people have potential to lead became a core value of our leadership philosophy. When she left, Public Allies Chicago had a cash reserve, a committed board, a talented young staff, and a network of diverse, talented young leaders in Chicago who continue to serve the community today. Michelle was also a pioneer in the social entrepreneur movement – leaders who create new approaches and organizations to provide new solutions to social problems.

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Latest on AmeriCrooks scandal:

WSJ: The White House Fires a Watchdog

Quin Hilyer: This makes Travelgate look tame

Byron York: Will Democrats cover up the AmeriCorps mess?

Posted in: ACORN Watch, Corruption, Michelle Obama, National Service

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#722244

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:34 pm, RTater said:

OK, I’ll do it.

Public Allies ? More like uber alles!
#722250

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:39 pm, sd6104 said:

Isn’t the VP supposed to be in charge of this? Because “Nobody messes with Joe”
#722251

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:40 pm, iamsaved said:

Public Allies? If you do good there, you can become a Number One cadet in the local ACORN office, mastering the technique on how to commit voter fraud and not get caught.
#722256

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:43 pm, BuckeyeSam said:

Seriously, these ACORN affiliates remind me of the fraternity brothers who used to cheat on exams in undergrad. They went to such extraordinary lengths to cheat that I could never understand why the didn’t just apply themselves and learn the material. With regard to all these people involved in ACORN and AmeriCorps, I really have to ask, “Why don’t you apply yourselves to something worthwhile? Are you so incompetent that you can’t demonstrate your worth to an employer in the real world? Why do you insist on feeding your faces with pork rinds using one hand while sticking your hand out to receive other people’s money with the other?”
#722264

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pm, AlohaGuy said:

Saw some of these guys on the news at an old lady’s house – hooking up her digital TV box after her analog set went dark!

I think the digital box was made in China by Chinese people who went to college instead of joining ChinaCorps, but I could be wrong…
#722271

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:54 pm, thetoysurgeon said:

Communism doesn’t allow inspector generals.
#722294

On June 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

Byron York: Will Democrats cover up the AmeriCorps mess?

Does the Pope wear a funny hat?
Does a bear %^&* in the woods?
Does David Letterman’s jokes crash and burn?

Anyhoo, this money is desperately needed in all these cities, for all the bulldozers needed for the urban blight problem.
#722299

On June 16th, 2009 at 4:21 pm, sonofdy said:

Communism doesn’t allow inspector generals.

Of course it does. And they know damn well who and what to ignore or they get “removed”.

Sound familiar?
#722314

On June 16th, 2009 at 4:33 pm, tiredofit08 said:

On June 16th, 2009 at 3:40 pm, iamsaved said:

Public Allies? If you do good there, you can become a Number One cadet in the local ACORN office, mastering the technique on how to commit voter fraud and not get caught.

they didn’t learn the lessons to well in Nevada since they are under investigation for voter fraud…they did get caught…
#722320

On June 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, Ragspierre said:

A corrupt slush fund…

Within a VASTLY larger corrupt slush fund…

Corruption institutionalized. Like when the KGB had a monopoly on violent crime in the Soviet Union…
#722374

On June 16th, 2009 at 5:23 pm, Hangfire said:

We need AmeriCorps workers here in Honolulu badly.

The condition of the shopping carts stolen by the homeless is a scandal.

The carts need new wheels, handles, etc.
#722382

On June 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pm, J S Ragman said:

#11 Hangfire

Yeah, where are all the Hawaii line items? Like in every other state’s stimulus package?
#722390

On June 16th, 2009 at 5:37 pm, Hangfire said:

The native Hawaiians don’t have to worry. Once the Akaka Bill is passed (after being re-submitted and re-submitted since 2000), Hawaiians will be a Federally recognized “entity” that will be able to have their own government, pass their own laws, and utilize the Indian Health Service for free.

They are being awarded the opportunity to receive sub-standard health care, provided by the government, the same as Aboriginal Americans.
#722392

On June 16th, 2009 at 5:38 pm, sonofdy said:

I think it would be a great stimulus item for the feds to pay for my basement to be finished and my yard to be landscaped. I mean I know im not as important as a turtle or a bridge to allow drunks to get to a bar but…
#722394

On June 16th, 2009 at 5:43 pm, sonofdy said:

Its even a shovel ready project…
#722445

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:25 pm, lgm said:

Barack Obama was a community organizer. He and his wife were on the boards of community organizations even after he went into politics. The organizations that he worked with were good and prospered, both under Bush and now under Obama.

It never has been the position of the US government that it cannot do business with organizations the President or Vice President were associated with. Think Haliburton.

Think of it this way. At least this money is actually helping people in some way. The alternative would be to build fighter jets so advanced and expensive that they cannot be flown in combat. Just one of those pays for all these grants many times over.
#722457

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:40 pm, corkie said:

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:25 pm, lgm said:

The alternative would be to build fighter jets so advanced and expensive that they cannot be flown in combat.

Are you implying that the money would need to be spent elsewhere? If so, then where does this logic come from?

Just one of those pays for all these grants many times over.

lgm, the “cost of one gun buys lots of butter” argument is antiquated because it was so weak.
#722459

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, 24Klady said:

Rogue Cheddar #7
Anyone besides me think the bulldoze trick is to promise all those on welfare access to homes that are currently sitting empty because of foreclosure? Only problem, it will be the terminal welfare recipient, not the foreclosed idiot that’s still working, that gets to move.
#722504

On June 16th, 2009 at 7:40 pm, FireBlogger said:

No recession in the community. No preschool reader left behind.

Wow!
#722522

On June 16th, 2009 at 8:31 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, 24Klady said:
Rogue Cheddar #7
Anyone besides me think the bulldoze trick is to promise all those on welfare access to homes that are currently sitting empty because of foreclosure? Only problem, it will be the terminal welfare recipient, not the foreclosed idiot that’s still working, that gets to move.

They’ve been throwing my money away at urban redevelopment projects for years and it hasn’t worked one bit. Maybe bulldozing it all down and letting nature take over may not be such a bad idea after all.
#722526

On June 16th, 2009 at 8:34 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

On June 16th, 2009 at 6:25 pm, lgm said:
Barack Obama was a community organizer. He and his wife were on the boards of community organizations even after he went into politics. The organizations that he worked with were good and prospered, both under Bush and now under Obama.

Of course they prospered you poinyoin! They got their money the old fashioned way, they stole it!
#722588

On June 17th, 2009 at 12:07 am, d1carter said:

BO’s thugs are going to destroy this Mr. Walpin’s career and life. Just you wait and see.
#722591

On June 17th, 2009 at 12:12 am, Ragspierre said:

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, who authored the 2008 legislation requiring a President to give Congress 30 days’ notice of a proposed firing of an Inspector General, and the cause thereof–legislation which Barack Obama co-sponsored!–says he broke the law in firing Inspector General Gerald Walpin:

The White House has failed to follow the proper procedure in notifying Congress as to the removal of the Inspector General for the Corporation for National and Community Service. The legislation which was passed last year requires that the president give a reason for the removal. “Loss of confidence” is not a sufficient reason. I’m hopeful the White House will provide a more substantive rationale, in writing, as quickly as possible.”

Powerline
#722593

On June 17th, 2009 at 12:16 am, Ragspierre said:

The organizations that he worked with were good and prospered, both under Bush and now under Obama.

As always, you are either ill-informed or lying.

Put up your support.

I have a two word rebuttal: Annenberg Challenge.
#722594

On June 17th, 2009 at 12:18 am, Ragspierre said:

The alternative would be to build fighter jets so advanced and expensive that they cannot be flown in combat. Just one of those pays for all these grants many times over.

Put up your support for that consummate BS.