Special Project Grant will support the nationwide expansion of “The Meaning of Service,” a reading and discussion program for youth in volunteer service.
CHICAGO– The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) a $195,400 three-year grant for the nationwide expansion of the IHC’s “The Meaning of Service” program. This reading and discussion program for youth service workers explores fundamental questions about public service through philosophical examination of diverse historical and literary texts. A trained facilitator leads discussions about the meaning of service using short philosophical and literary texts on the nature of justice, service, and related themes.
The IHC is currently running “The Meaning of Service” program at seven AmeriCorps sites in Chicago: Public Allies, Hope Worldwide, PCC Wellness Center, City Year, Notre Dame Mercy, Northwestern University Settlement House Project YES!, and Neighborhood Relations VISTA. All seven organizations will continue to participate in the program as it expands, and additional sites will be added in downstate Illinois. The NEH grant also supports two training conferences; one was held October 20-22 by the IHC for seven states and downstate Illinois participants, and the same will happen in October 2006.
States scheduled to participate in this expansion are:
- Alaska
- Florida
- Illinois (Belleville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville)
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The National Endowment for the Humanities’ Special Project Grants support planning, consultation, and implementation of programs at diverse venues for public or non-academic groups, such as senior citizens, youth, members of civic organizations, professional groups, history and heritage tourists, hobbyists, and local citizens.
This Special Project Grant from the NEH has also been designated a We the People grant. We the People is an agency-wide initiative that supports the exploration of significant events and themes in our nation’s history.
For more information on the Illinois Humanities Council and its programs, please visit www.prairie.org, call (312) 422-5580, or e-mail ihc@prairie.org.
The Illinois Humanities Council is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. Organized in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC creates programs and funds organizations that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.
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