Second AmeriCorps Member Added

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Sue Kirchoff, College of Veterinary Medicine, 612-624-3781

U of M Raptor Center Adds Second AmeriCorps Member to Reach Low-Income Families

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (July 6, 2005) – Last year, The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota joined forces with Americorps, establishing an AmeriCorps Promise Fellowship to bring educational programs with live raptors to minority and low-income children. Now The Raptor Center has learned that a second AmeriCorps member will be joining them in September, which will allow them to double their outreach efforts among lower-income and minority families.

“AmeriCorps appreciated our creativity in using live birds to inspire interest in science,” said Lisa Koch, director of education at The Raptor Center. “The additional position will help our programs and events reach a broader audience, particularly families and children in our neediest communities. It will directly increase our ability to support Twin Cities-area schools in closing the achievement gap.”

As part of this effort, The Raptor Center will develop a marketing program directed specifically at families and children from lower-income households, reach out to lower-income communities using live birds of prey to encourage family learning about raptor and the environment, and work with its community partners to host or attend events in communities in which the achievement gap is most evident.

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage Americans in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based organizations.

People who are interested in a position as an AmeriCorps member with The Raptor Center should contact Lisa Koch at 612-624-3261 or kochx039@umn.edu.

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The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota specializes in the medical care, rehabilitation, and conservation of eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons. In addition to treating approximately 800 birds a year, the program provides training in raptor medicine and surgery for veterinarians from around the world, reaches more than 150,000 people each year through public education programs and events, and identifies emerging issues related to raptor health and populations. A program within the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, The Raptor Center is supported by private funds.