12 Utica Municipal Housing Authority AmeriCorps members were sworn in March 28) at a ceremony held at the Chancellor Apartments. In addition to the swearing-in ceremony, the event featured remarks by three of the newly initiated AmeriCorps members, elected officials, and representatives of the New York State Office of National and Community Service and the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc.
Back Row (from left): Omer Hadjer, Candace Curry, Gary Ollerenshaw, Selden Grimes, Daniel Golden, Viktoria Lyubezhanin, Phillip Graziano.
Middle Row (from left): Carmen Nieves-Nazario, U.S. Representative Richard Hanna, Travis Palmer, Tiana Guzman, Kelly Guernsey, Mayor Robert Palmieri, Careman Jackson, Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr.
Front Row (from left): Dr. William Murabito, New York State Commission on National & Community Service; Dr. Taras J. Herbowy, MHA Executive Director; David Zogby, AmeriCorps Project Director; John Furman, MHA; Stefanie Perez, New York State Office of National & Community Service. 
(Utica, NY – March 28, 2013) The 12 members of the Utica Municipal Housing Authority AmeriCorps Program for 2013 were sworn in today during a ceremony at the Chancellor Apartments in Utica. The ceremony marks the beginning of a year of community service for the members and the culmination of intensive training to prepare the members for service.
Volunteers for the service program will help local residents find housing, assist housing authority tenants to find jobs and access educational opportunities, provide financial literacy education, and place homeless veterans in permanent housing. The term is for one year of service. The AmeriCorps members are assigned to work at the Municipal Housing Authority housing developments as well as the Central New York Veterans Outreach Center.
The new AmeriCorps members were sworn in by U.S. Representative Richard Hanna along with Mayor Robert Palmieri, Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr., Jan Squadrito of The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc., Dr. William Murabito of the New York State Commission on National & Community Service; and Stefanie Perez of New York State Office of National & Community Service. Representatives of Assemblymember Anthony Brindisi, Senator Joseph Griffo and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development also attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Often referred to as the “Domestic Peace Corps,” AmeriCorps is a national program that engages people of all ages and backgrounds in strengthening communities through service. Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service through state service commissions like New York State Office of National & Community Service. The Utica Municipal Housing Authority AmeriCorps Program is supported by grants from the New York State Commission on National & Community Service and The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc.
In exchange for a year of service (1,700 hours), members 17 and older receive: valuable work experience in their chosen field; $5,550 to pay for college or graduate school or to pay back student loans; health coverage and loan deferment while in service; a modest living allowance; and the opportunity to make a difference service offers.
AmeriCorps members who were sworn into service today included: Candace Curry, Daniel Golden, Phillip Graziano, Selden Grimes, Kelly Guernsey, Tiana Guzman, Omer Hadjer, Careman Jackson, Viktoria Lyubezhanin, Carmen Nieves-Nazario, Gary Ollerenshaw, and Travis Palmer
For more information regarding the Utica AmeriCorps program, please contact John Furman, Director of Grants, Programs, Compliance, and Monitoring at 315-725-0974 or jfurman@uticamha.org. David Zogby is the Project Director of the AmeriCorps program and can be reached at 315-734-0183 or dzogby@uticamha.org.