Four members from across the country were recognized at the State of YouthBuild USA AmeriCorps and Member Award Presentation. Recipients clockwise from top left: Angel Jarrett Crenshaw, Ashley Hernandez, Anthony Parish, and Torey Ristow.
Four YouthBuild leaders were selected from thousands of AmeriCorps members across the country to receive the 2024 YouthBuild AmeriCorps Spirit of Service award. The winners were announced at the State of YouthBuild USA AmeriCorps and Member Award Presentation on August 15.
Angel Jarrett Crenshaw, an AmeriCorps member at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, received the VISTA of the Year award.
Ashley Hernandez, a 2023 graduate of YouthBuild Lake County in Chicago, Illinois, received the Alum of the Year award.
Anthony Parish, an AmeriCorps member at YouthBuild Indy in Indianapolis, Indiana, received the Member of the Year award.
Torey Ristow, a graduate and AmeriCorps member at YouthBuild Rockford in Rockford, Illinois, received the Full-time Member of the Year award.
All four recipients exhibit a desire to transform their lives, and the lives of others, through service.
YouthBuild USA has been an AmeriCorps grantee since AmeriCorps’ inception in 1994. Since then, YouthBuild USA has enrolled more than 51,000 AmeriCorps members who have generated millions of direct service hours, including developing or repairing thousands of units of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. More than 13,000 YouthBuild AmeriCorps members have earned their high school equivalency and over $43 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards.
“While transforming their lives through service, YouthBuild AmeriCorps members become the leaders they were always meant to be — and that the world needs,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “Their commitment and examples reverberate across the country, and YouthBuild is honored to partner with them in their journey. We are so proud of these young people and their service to their respective communities.”
Approximately 2,148 YouthBuild AmeriCorps members in 59 programs across 26 states build affordable housing and provide community healthcare, conservation efforts, recycling and sustainability, computer infrastructure, and child development services for individuals and families. Over the next year, YouthBuild AmeriCorps members will provide more than 750,000 direct service hours and will build at least 240 units of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families.
