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A2 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 17 april 2025

AmeriCorps members who respond to disasters and help

nonprofits are let go in DOGE cuts

By HANNAH FINGERHUT ment from AmeriCorps.
Associated Press Funding for AmeriCorps
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — and NCCC has long been
Young volunteers who re- included when there are
spond to natural disasters talks in Congress of budget
and help with community trims. The federal agency’s
projects across the U.S. budget showed NCCC
have been discharged as funding amounted to near-
a result of the Trump ad- ly $38 million last fiscal year.
ministration ‘s campaign The unsigned memo to
to shrink government work- members said NCCC’s
force and services. “ability to sustain program
AmeriCorps’ National Civil- operations” was impacted
ian Community Corps in- by “new operational pa-
formed volunteers Tuesday rameters” laid out by the
that they would exit the Trump administration’s pri-
program early “due to pro- orities and President Don-
grammatic circumstances As President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton mark the 20th anniversary of the ald Trump’s executive order
beyond your control,” ac- AmeriCorps national service program, hundreds of new volunteers are sworn in for duty at a creating the Department
cording to an email ob- ceremony, Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. of Government Efficiency.
tained by The Associated Associated Press Members, who receive a
Press. to the program’s website, or the Federal Emergency The volunteers are espe- living allowance and have
More than 2,000 people and get assigned to proj- Management Agency. It cially visible after natural basic expenses covered,
ages 18 to 26 serve for ects with nonprofits and celebrated its 30th year last disasters, including Hurri- would be paid through the
nearly a year, according community organizations year. cane Katrina in 2005 and end of April, according to
Hurricane Helene last year. the memo.
The organization said on so- The program also provides
cial media last month that members who complete
teams have served 8 mil- their 1,700-hour service
lion service hours on nearly term with funding for future
3,400 disaster projects since education expenses or to
1999. Jordan Kinsler, 23, has apply to certain student
worked with FEMA Corps loans. That benefit was
for the last nine months, worth about $7,300 this ser-
traveling from Minnesota vice year.
communities impacted by The memo stated that
floods to ones in North Car- those who have complet-
olina touched by Helene. ed 15% or more of their term
He and his team were on would be eligible for a pro-
their final project at FEMA rated amount, but those
headquarters in Washing- that have completed less
ton when they got word would not be eligible.
Tuesday that they wouldn’t There’s always been “bi-
be able to finish. partisan support” of NCCC
Kinsler, who is from Long Is- — “and bipartisan criti-
land, New York, said they cism,” said Kate Raftery,
packed that night and left who was NCCC director
Wednesday morning for from 2011 to 2014.
their home base in Vicks- Raftery said the abrupt
burg, Mississippi. departure of these service
Kinsler said he’s proud of teams would have last-
the work he’s done and ing damage both on the
had hoped to apply for a NCCC members who were
permanent position. gaining education and
“To have this ripped right launching careers as well
from us at the very end, it as the organizations that
felt insulting,” he said. depend on them and the
The AP sent an email neighborhoods where they
Wednesday seeking com- served. q