AmeriCorps St. Louis Receives National Award from The Corps Network for their Greenwood Cemetery Restoration Initiative!
AmeriCorps St. Louis to Receive One of THREE Awards Granted Nationwide
AmeriCorps St. Louis has received a 2023 Project of the Year Award from The Corps Network in recognition of our Greenwood Cemetery Restoration Initiative! The Corps Network, the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, presents this prestigious award on an annual basis to select organizations from their membership of over 150 Corps across the country. Awardees are chosen through a competitive nomination and review process.
As defined by The Corps Network, Corps are local, state or national programs that engage young adults (generally ages 16 – 25) and veterans (up to age 35) in service activities addressing conservation and community needs. Through a term of service that could last from a few months to a year, Corps participants – or “Corpsmembers” – complete meaningful projects while gaining job experience and developing in-demand skills. AmeriCorps St. Louis, primarily engages young adults in environmental stewardship, wildland firefighting, and disaster relief projects in the Missouri and Illinois area.
Project of the Year Awards are presented to Corps that have undertaken especially influential or innovative initiatives. Projects of the Year are noteworthy for their ability to provide both a positive experience for Corpsmembers and meaningful improvements to the community.
Greenwood Cemetery was founded in 1874 as the first commercial, non-sectarian cemetery for African Americans in the St. Louis metropolitan area. More than 50,000 African Americans are buried within Greenwood’s 32 acres. After the final burial in 1993, the property fell into disrepair. Invasive plants overtook the monuments and vines began to choke native trees. In 2016, Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association (GCPA) recovered the site and has since made considerable improvements, reclaiming roughly 12 acres with the help of volunteers. AmeriCorps St. Louis (ACSTL) had contributed to occasional volunteer events over the years and realized an opportunity to do more.
Funded in part by a grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation, ACSTL partnered with the GCPA to develop a two-phase land management plan focused on removing invasive species and beautifying the cemetery through restoring headstones and improving infrastructure. The Corps also partnered with Washington University to study the use of organic herbicides. Over the summer of 2022, ACSTL brought in a crew of AmeriCorps NCCC members to complete projects and help host numerous community volunteer events. Eight additional acres have been cleared during this collaboration, creating public green space and – most importantly – uncovering hundreds of new headstones to be documented. This work has been incredibly meaningful to the community, helping families reconnect with their heritage and relocate burial sites of their relatives.
“Projects of the Year demonstrate the power of national service programs to change communities and change of lives. The Greenwood Cemetery Restoration Initiative from AmeriCorps St. Louis is no exception,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO of The Corps Network. “With this award, we have the opportunity to recognize extraordinary individuals and programs from our network and shed light on the vast capabilities of Corps. The Corps Network is humbled to represent such inspiring and impactful organizations as AmeriCorps St. Louis.”
"Greenwood has easily become my favorite project I have done with AmeriCorps. Being able to help my community and restore a place that holds a lot of meaning to others is truly amazing. Raphael (Morris; Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association President) is absolutely inspiring for taking this on in his retirement.” - Kenya Reeves, ACSTL Member
The three winners of the Project of the Year Award will be honored at The Corps Network’s 38th annual national conference, taking place March 7 – 9, 2023. Click here to learn more.
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AMERICORPS ST. LOUIS
Founded in 1994, AmeriCorps St. Louis (ACSTL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, engaging AmeriCorps National Service Volunteers in community service initiatives addressing critical unmet needs in the areas of Disaster Response, Environmental Stewardship, & Wildland Firefighting. ACSTL focuses on the training and development of the next generation of leaders while building the capacity of partner agencies to achieve impactful community results. To learn more about AmeriCorps St. Louis, visit americorps-stl.org
THE CORPS NETWORK
The Corps Network, the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, provides leadership and support to over 150 Corps across the United States. Through advocacy, and providing Corps access to funding opportunities and expert guidance, The Corps Network annually enables approximately 25,000 Corpsmembers to strengthen communities, improve the environment and transform their lives through service. To learn more about The Corps Network, visit corpsnetwork.org.