HelpTech AmeriCorps

HelpTech AmeriCorps started in 2004 through a grant from the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. 

Currently in the first year of a second 3-year cycle, HelpTech AmeriCorps is based at the Academy.  It is a unique collaborative effort of government, educational, industrial, and community & faith based organizations to assist poor, disabled, and low & moderate income families to improve their lives through meaningful employment by providing neighborhood technology learning centers.  5 full-time and 25 part-time trained AmeriCorps members help to create a technical infrastructure that links these organizations, and help provide a variety of technical and educational support  services for these learning centers including:  computer network installations and network maintenance; computer workstation troubleshooting and repair; telephone and remote diagnostic helpdesk services; deliver technology education programs for children, youth, and adults; and maintain the Academy’s computer remanufacturing/recycling center which refurbishes donated computers and places them into the disabled & disadvantaged  communities served by the HelpTech AmeriCorps program. 

The majority of the program’s AmeriCorps members come from these communities.  Each member serves either on a Technology or Education Team (or both).  Each team meets weekly to discuss the previous week’s activities, to plan the following week’s activities, and to participate in a variety of member development activities.  All AmeriCorps members and The Academy staff meet once a month as a group to discuss individual team progress and to review HelpTech AmeriCorps project goals. 

Individuals interested in becoming a HelpTech AmeriCorp member should contact the Academy’s main office at 585-244-1430.   Full-time members receive an annual stipend of $11,400 and an education award of $4,725.  Part-time members receive no stipend, but do receive an education award of up to $2,362.  Education awards can be used to pay off student loans or to apply towards college tuition.