Children First of Buncombe County

Welcome to Project POWER

Project POWER (Putting Opportunities Within Everyone’s Reach) is an AmeriCorps program sponsored by Children First of Buncombe County. Created in response to America’s Promise, Project POWER has contributed to the success of thousands of young people across the area, and has provided meaningful service opportunities to more than 100 AmeriCorps volunteers since 1998.

Located in the mountains of Western North Carolina, in the city of Asheville, Project POWER serves schools and organizations all over Buncombe County.

Program Overview

Now in it's ninth year, Project POWER members provide mentoring and enrichment activities to youth living in the Buncombe County community. Members also recruit and support volunteers for area schools, homework clubs, and non-profit organizations. Since the program's inception, AmeriCorps members have provided one-on-one tutoring services to nearly 1,500 students, taught conflict resolution skills to more than 1,600 students, engaged 1,300 students in service-learning projects, exposed more than 2,200 students to cooperative games, and conducted hundreds of student mediations.

Program Objectives

Specialized Enrichment

Project POWER members serve in elementary, middle, and high schools and homework clubs as enrichment specialists. A school enrichment specialist may serve as a classroom teacher assistant, a technology assistant in the school's computer lab, a parent-volunteer coordinator, or even a garden specialist. Please see Children First Project MARCH program for more information on member involvement in homework clubs.

Volunteer Recruitment and Support

To help schools and non-profit agencies leverage limited financial resources, and to build a network of service among community members, Project POWER members identify, enlist and support volunteers able to meet the needs of organizations.

Service Learning

Members serving as after school enrichment specialists plan and implement two 10-session service learning projects over the course of the year. The members work with students to identify a community need and organize the project to increase students’ ethic of service, self-esteem, community commitment, academic achievement, and ability to work with others. Project topics are diverse and flexible, limited only by members' creativity and desire.

Member Development

Project POWER is one of the longest-operating AmeriCorps programs in North Carolina. Much of the program's success is attributed to a commitment to members' needs, support, and training.

Each service year begins with a three-week orientation that includes trainings on everything from tutoring to after school programming to conflict resolution tactics to self-care and budgeting strategies. The orientation time also affords ample opportunities for team building and reflection.

Through the year, members continue to receive extensive trainings at weekly meetings. Topics include non-profit management, discussions on dismantling racism, leadership and professional development, stereotypes in service, and life after AmeriCorps, to name just a few.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Children First and Project POWER/AmeriCorps encourage individuals with disabilities to participate as national service providers through the AmeriCorps programs. Children First and Project POWER/AmeriCorps prohibit any form of discrimination against persons with disabilities in recruitment, as well as in service.

A "qualified individual with a disability" is an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodations, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by the program. Reasonable accommodations may include modifying rules, policies, or practices; the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

Children First provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, age or handicap in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

Project POWER AmeriCorps
Children First Buncombe County
50 S. French Broad Ave. Ste. #246
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 259-9717
fax: (828) 259-9717

Tammy Capps--Program Director: tammyc@childrenfirstbc.org

Michelle Spevak--Program Coordinator: acadmin@childrenfirstbc.org