NextSTEP Joins APSE on Service Project for Military Kids

August 7, 2012

Child Thrive AmeriCorps Members with Nancy Keeler in front of completed summer supply kits.

At the 2012 APSE National Conference, the ICI project NextSTEP collaborated on a service project to benefit students with disabilities at Fort Belvoir Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia. The 186 students are all children of military personnel at Fort Belvoir, and many of their families are stationed there due to personal or family member chronic illness or disability.

In the service project, AmeriCorps members assisted APSE conference participants in building summer supply kits filled with toys, games, and books. Participants also learned more about how national service, such as AmeriCorps, can be a path to employment for people with disabilities.

The project was sponsored by APSE; NextSTEP (the National Service to Employment Project); the Corporation for National and Community Service; the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service, Virginia Department of Social Services; Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services Center for Children and Families; Virginia AmeriCorps; ChildThrive!; Scholastic; and TD Bank.