Senator Collins Announces More Than $1.3 Million for AmeriCorps Seniors Programs in Maine

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that three organizations in Maine will receive a total of $1,373,395 through the Fiscal Year 2025 AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) and the Senior Companion Program (SCP). The funding will support the work of 149 older volunteers across the State of Maine who provide aid, companionship, and guidance to seniors, young people, and children.
“These grants will help older Mainers remain active and engaged in their communities while providing critical support to some of the most vulnerable people in our state,”said Senator Collins. “Whether it’s mentoring and providing guidance to students or helping older adults continue to live independently, foster grandparents and senior companions make a real difference in the lives of those they serve.”
The funding is allocated as follows:
According to AmeriCorps, the FGP engages volunteers age 55 and over to serve in communities as role models, mentors, and friends to children. The SCP engages volunteers to provide assistance and companionship primarily to elderly individuals—and also to people with disabilities—who have difficulty with daily living tasks.
Senator Collins is a longstanding member of the National Service Congressional Caucus and has cosponsored legislation to exclude the AmeriCorps Education Award from federal income tax. In recognition of her strong support for AmeriCorps, Senator Collinsreceivedthe Edward M. Kennedy National Service Lifetime Leadership Award in 2023. She joined a bipartisan group inintroducinglegislation to expand national service programs significantly to help the country recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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