Cities of Service today announced six U.S. cities will participate in its new Cities of Service Experience Matters program. With support from AARP, Cities of Service will work with the cities to develop volunteering initiatives that address public problems related to the drivers of poverty. Each city will focus on engaging residents 50 and older in program implementation.
 
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with AARP through the launch of this new Experience Matters program,” said Myung J. Lee, Cities of Service Executive Director. “Our expertise helping cities engage volunteers combined with AARP’s experience working with adults age 50 and older will allow these cities to have a significant impact on the issues they are facing related to poverty.”
 
The winning cities are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Birmingham, Alabama; Columbia, South Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas; Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Each city will receive $25,000, technical assistance, and two full­‐time AmeriCorps VISTA members based in city hall who will build capacity and raise awareness for the initiatives.
 
In addition to funding and technical assistance throughout the duration of the program, Cities of Service and AARP will provide support in recruitment and selection of AmeriCorps VISTA members, pre­‐program training to ensure fidelity to Cities of Service’s proven citizen engagement model, project design assistance customized to each city, expert and peer learning opportunities through site visits and convenings, and promotion of projects to encourage replication of best practices.