This LTE was originally published on GazetteXtra.com on August 16, 2023.
—
By Yolanda Shelton-Morris, Madison
More than 8,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers make a difference in Rock County and communities across Wisconsin, making a positive impact through well over 1 million hours of service.
At over 850 locations throughout the state, they provide educational programming, support citizens with disabilities and the elderly, assist homeless youth, construct housing, complete conservation and disaster recovery projects, help people lead healthier lives, and assist others in numerous other ways.
Their ability to positively impact our state is threatened by the budget being proposed in the House of Representatives, which would slash federal AmeriCorps funding by more than 50%.
If these budget changes were enacted, they would lead to a dramatic reduction in funding for Wisconsin programs, drastically decreasing the services being provided to help others. In Rock County, this would impact programming from RSVP of Rock County, Beloit Fresh Start, Wisconsin Reading Corps, and with other organizations serving at schools, clinics, and nonprofits.
Congress should reject these cuts proposed in the House and should adopt the AmeriCorps funding levels passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee, which had wide bipartisan support for maintaining funding for AmeriCorps programs and the difference they make.