Waterbury, Conn. – NVCC-Waterbury AmeriCorpsmembers teamed up with the Greater Waterbury YMCA to clean up the Berkeley Warner Community Center, located at the Berkeley Heights Housing Project, on Sat., March 9, 2013.

According to John Corcoran, coordinator of the AmeriCorps program, approximately 35 members helped clean and paint the interior of the building throughout the week.

“I saw in the paper that the building was being revamped but needed help,” said Corcoran. “This type of work fits perfectly into our mission.”

The Waterbury YMCA acquired the Berkely Warner Community Recreation Center from the City of Waterbury with the purpose of bringing back partial operation of the center for the community's youth. The center, which has not been operating for some time, required substantial cleaning and restoration before it could be occupied again.

According to Jim O'Rourke, executive director of the Greater Waterbury YMCA, the extra help provided by AmeriCorps members is helping get the center ready for beginning services by early April.

"Working collaboratively with AmeriCorps is allowing us to give the facility a little TLC," O'Rourke told the Waterbury Republican-American. "We're getting the place nice and organized for the children in Berkeley Heights."

Several AmeriCorps members have also volunteered to stay on as volunteer mentors and activity coordinators once the center reopens.

Now in its second year, the Waterbury AmeriCorps program is both a mentoring program and a community service team. Members work directly with students in Waterbury public schools through in- and after-school programs, providing assistance with school work and building positive relationships with students. They also create and implement community service projects throughout the year that promote volunteerism in Waterbury.

In return for 450 hours of service, AmeriCorps members receive a laptop computer, training in mentoring and tutoring, experience for college or career advancement, the opportunity to take college classes and an educational award of up to $1,468 to be used toward personal education costs or for a child or grandchild’s education. Members currently include students from NVCC and UConn Waterbury as well as civic-minded individuals who want to make an impact in their community.

The group has partnered with Brass City Harvest, Boys and Girls Club, Waterbury Tulip Festival, CT Food Bank, Children’s Community School, Waterbury’s Largest Community Mosaic project, Girls Inc., Family Services of Greater Waterbury and the Salvation Army, among other local organizations.

For more information, contact John Corcoran, program coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 203-596-8680.

The Waterbury AmeriCorps Program is a part of the Naugatuck Valley Community College Bridge to College Office and is funded by the Connecticut Commission for Community Service.