WILMINGTON — New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester on Monday announced a pilot AmeriCorps program called National Health Corps Delaware to address the COVID-19 pandemic and associated health inequities.

Member service activities for this pilot period will focus on reducing health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic in addition to address the ongoing COVID-19 health needs in the community.

“We are in this together,” Mr. Meyer said in a statement. “This partnership with the National Health Corps will create job opportunities in our most vulnerable communities, keeping the pressure on to eradicate this virus from our communities.”

The pilot AmeriCorps program, which will have 15 to 20 members in the initial phase, will last one year and will be funded through New Castle County’s federal CARES Act allotment. The funding will last through December.

The program members will work to achieve the National Health Corps program goal of reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes in communities.

The chief objectives are to support empowerment in youth and adults to make choices about their health and lead healthier lives; foster members’ skills related to professional development, commitment to health-related careers, ethic of service and reducing health disparities; support organizations that aim to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes in communities; and create a model for national service in a crisis.

Officials are hopeful it will boost the economy and reduce the impact and length of the pandemic.

New Castle County will immediately start recruiting for a program director and a program coordinator. In addition, nonprofit and governmental entities who are working on COVID-19 response are encouraged to apply to become host sites for the National Health Corps Delaware members.

Member recruitment will follow shortly. Information on the staff positions and applying to become a host site is located online at the National Health Corps Delaware site, www.newcastlede.gov/NHCD.

Potential host sites are invited to a virtual information session on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. through Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84747462615?pwd=dHVsL2daTWJIU1FpeHVIcThrRW1OUT09

“Health Federation of Philadelphia has a long-standing commitment to finding community solutions to public health challenges,” Natalie Levkovich, CEO of Health Federation of Philadelphia, said in a statement. “We believe strongly in our National Health Corps program and in community service as effective responses to those challenges. Partnering with the can-do state of Delaware to replicate our proven program model is a very exciting and timely undertaking.”