U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
        Here’s how you know
    Goverment symbol**Official websites use .gov**
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        Lock symbol**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            A lock (
              A locked padlock
                 ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive
              information only on official, secure websites.
 Skip to main content JoinDonate
    About
    About
          About
        
About menu block one
  

        
        What We Do
                Our Impact
                Agency FAQs
About menu block two
  

        
        Our Team
                Careers
About menu block three
  

        
        Agency Overview
                            Budget and Performance Plans
                Disability and Accessibility
                Federal Register Notices
                Open Government
                Plain Writing
                Privacy Policy
                Strategic Plan

  

  
Serve
    Serve
          Serve
        
Serve menu block one
  

        
        AmeriCorps
                            AmeriCorps NCCC
                AmeriCorps State and National
                AmeriCorps VISTA
                AmeriCorps Seniors
                            AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program
                AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP
                AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program
Serve menu block two
  

        
        Volunteer
                            9/11 Day
                MLK Day
Serve menu block three
  

        
        Find Your Fit
                Serve FAQs

  

  
Partner
    Partner
          Partner
        
Partner menu block one
  

        
        How it Works
                            AmeriCorps NCCC
                AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent
                AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP
                AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion
                AmeriCorps State and National
                AmeriCorps VISTA
                Research and Evaluation
                Volunteer Generation Fund
Partner menu block two
  

        
        Partnerships
                Communities and Initiatives
                Funding Opportunities
Partner menu block three
  

        
        Partner FAQs

  

  
Members & Volunteers
    Members & Volunteers
          Members & Volunteers
        
Members & Volunteers menu block one
  

        
        Your Benefits
                Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
                Education Award FAQs
Members & Volunteers menu block two
  

        
        Alumni
                Members in VISTA
Members & Volunteers menu block three
  

        
        Member and Volunteer FAQs
                Safety and Security

  

  
Grantees & Sponsors
    Grantees & Sponsors
          Grantees & Sponsors
        
Grantee & Sponsors menu block one
  

        
        State Service Commissions
                State and National Direct Grantees
                State Subgrantees
                VISTA Sponsors
                Research and Evaluation Grantees
                Volunteer Generation Fund and Days of Service Grantees
Grantee & Sponsors menu block two
  

        
        RSVP Grantees
                Foster Grandparent Program Grantees
                Senior Companion Program Grantees
                Senior Demonstration Program Grantees
                NCCC Project Sponsors
Grantee & Sponsors menu block three
  

        
        Manage Your Grant
                Grantee and Sponsor FAQs

  

  
Newsroom
    Newsroom
          Newsroom
        
Newsroom menu block one
  

        
        News
                Blog
Newsroom menu block two
  

        
        Stories
                Events
Newsroom menu block three
  

        
        In the News
                Communication Resources



  
Contact
    Contact
    JoinDonate
search Breadcrumb
    Newsroom

              National Service Heroes Win Excellence in AmeriCorps Awards for Inspiring Acts of Service During the Pandemic
      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Sep 24, 2021
  

                    *Alumni and grantees from California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Tennessee, and Wisconsin were selected for providing outstanding service during the COVID-19 pandemic*

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and service, awarded the annual Excellence in AmeriCorps awards to five alumni, grantees, and advocates, for their outstanding service within AmeriCorps State and National programs. From California to Puerto Rico, and from COVID-19 response to mental health awareness, this year’s award recipients go above and beyond every day to make our country safer, smarter, and healthier.

Now in its seventh year, the Excellence in AmeriCorps Awards were created to recognize the outstanding and innovative AmeriCorps programs, members, and alumni tackling our nation’s most-pressing challenges. The 2021 Excellence in AmeriCorps award winners represent important examples of national service, responding to adversity with resourcefulness, creativity, and community-mindedness.

“Hailing from across the country, AmeriCorps members are strengthening their communities through their dedication and service,” said Sonali Nijhawan, AmeriCorps State and National Director. “This year’s Excellence in AmeriCorps awardees are an example of the tenacity and compassion of our country’s best. We’re proud to honor their impact and highlight their service during the pandemic.”

The 2021 Excellence in AmeriCorps award winners are listed below:

**Jaret Reyes, Reinvent Schools Las Vegas AmeriCorps, Nevada – Impactful Service Award**

	Jaret is a community navigator and provided assistance to multiple community members on a daily basis. His service helped students connect with their teachers through distance learning, families keep their homes, and parents keep food on the table for their children through the pandemic. Jaret worked directly with at-risk students, inspiring them to stay engaged with their schoolwork virtually and in-person.
	**Darian Boyd, Impact America, Tennessee – Influential Service Award**

	Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Darian completed three separate AmeriCorps service terms. Darian stepped up as Team Lead for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance service and implemented new virtual and drop-off models that were utilized to prepare over 800 tax returns in the Memphis area. Darien stayed after his term concluded to see the job through and ensure that families had access to their tax refunds throughout the summer, exemplifying his unwavering commitment to service.
	**Victoria Ramierez-Gomez, California AmeriCorps Disaster Team – Inclusive Service Award**

	Victoria helped plan and coordinate the production of Be Red Cross Ready training and presented Homes Made Safer education to Alma Family Services, the lead agency for a collaborative Gang Reduction Youth Development Program serving youth and families. In addition to her work on the ground, Victoria has reached out to local school districts and local organizations to provide virtual preparedness training and offer personal protective equipment. She also played a vital role in helping to rebuild a Preparedness Coalition for the city of Bell Gardens where the majority of residents are monolingual Spanish. She reached underserved and underrepresented communities far beyond Los Angeles County to build partnerships and provide housing resources for Latinos while also building a core of Spanish-speaking volunteers through volunteer recruitment and engagement.
	**Paloma Suarez, Social Capital, Inc., Massachusetts – Innovative Service Award**

	Paloma served at the South End Community Health Center, addressing food insecurity and other social determinants of health. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paloma established partnerships with local organizations to provide over 5,000 prepared meals, 3,000 culturally sensitive frozen meals, fresh produce, and supplies to pediatric patients. Paloma also played an important role in conducting 70% of the health center’s social determinants of health screenings. Paloma was onsite every day making sure that families had what they needed and through her contributions 706 adults, 183 youth, 494 children, 125 infants, and countless others were reached.
	**Jenise Terell, Public Allies, Wisconsin – Lifetime of Service Award**

	Jenise served in AmeriCorps’ Public Allies for 25 years, serving most recently as vice president of programming. During her tenure, Public Allies has grown its alumni network to more than 8,000 individuals and engages with more than 750 Allies per year, while also partnering with over 450 nonprofit and governmental organizations across 24 communities nationwide. Additionally, Jenise has played a central role in developing several groundbreaking national programs, including a collaborative, multi-city venture with the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance that will build career and education pathways for men of color. Jenise is proud to be a native Milwaukeean, a Public Allies alumna, and a working mother of two children.AmeriCorps State and National programs are implemented in partnership with State Service Commissions across the country. More than 1.2 million AmeriCorps members across all AmeriCorps programs have served the nation, giving more than 1.6 billion hours of service and earning nearly $4 billion in education awards since 1994. Every year, thousands of AmeriCorps members prepare students for success, rebuild communities and revitalize cities, support veterans, fight the opioid epidemic, respond to disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more.
              AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency invests more than $800 million in grants for local nonprofit, community, tribal, and state organizations; places more than 250,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov. Back to main content Sign up to hear about our latest news, events, and opportunities.
  Sign up for our newsletter
    Footer about
  

        
        About
                            What We Do
                Our Impact
                Our Team
                Careers
                Agency OverviewFooter serve
  

        
        Serve
                            AmeriCorps
                AmeriCorps Seniors
                Volunteer
                Find Your FitFooter partner
  

        
        Partner
                            How it Works
                Funding OpportunitiesFooter Members & Volunteers
  

        
        Members & Volunteers
                            Your Benefits
                Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
                Alumni
                Safety and SecurityFooter grantees & sponsors
  

        
        Grantees & Sponsors
                            eGrants
                History Checks
                LitmosFooter newsroom
  

        
        Newsroom
                            News
                Blog
                Stories
                Events
                In the News
                Communication Resources
      Bringing Americans together to serve communities

Follow us
  
  1-800-942-2677
            
    help@americorps.gov
    USA.gov / Office of Inspector General / FOIA and Privacy Act / Federal Register notices / No FEAR Act/ Employee Whistleblower Rights / Contractor and Grantee Whistleblower Rights / Office of Special Counsel / STOCK Act / Fraud Alert

Accessibility / Privacy policy / Site map / Donate / Join

**AmeriCorps.gov**
An official website of AmeriCorps. Produced and published at taxpayer expense. 
 You are leaving AmeriCorps.gov
 The website you’re going to is not part of the AmeriCorps domain and may not be under AmeriCorps’ control. Its privacy and security practices and policies may differ from AmeriCorps’. AmeriCorps is not responsible for the link, nor does it endorse the content of the third-party website. Click on the continue button to proceed to the external website; otherwise click cancel to stay on AmeriCorps.gov.
 Cancel Continue