Last week, members of Congress said it was unlikely they would approve emergency funding to bail out the struggling AmeriCorps program.
AmeriCorps, a national non-profit organization that uses federal funding to subsidize the costs of college education in exchange for volunteer work, will have to run with just 40 percent of its traditional manpower this year if Congress chooses not to take action. If not only for the community services it provides, then for the educational opportunities it creates, the House must reconsider the value that AmeriCorps adds to students and communities nationwide.
In Buffalo, nearly 400 students volunteer annually to help the community through the AmeriCorps program. UB students involved in the program often utilize their time tutoring children, aiding local charities and participating in urban-renewal projects. Buffalo stands to lose significantly more funding than the national average, and it is estimated that as much as 95 percent of the West Seneca AmeriCorps budget will be cut. Because local charities, such as soup kitchens, rely on AmeriCorps volunteers to aid their efforts, a cascading affect will occur, crippling other programs as well. Congress may not realize the ramifications of their proposed decision to deny AmeriCorps funding, and may discover that lost services were worth far more than the costs of the temporary funding request.
In addition to lost services, some college students may find themselves unable to afford the costs of education. Many volunteers from disadvantaged neighborhoods become involved with AmeriCorps because they cannot afford tuition on their own. If AmeriCorps reduces its workforce, it is likely that colleges will see a drop in enrollment from low-income families.
Not only does AmeriCorps provide services to the community and financial support to its volunteers, but it also teaches skills that are difficult to come by in an academic setting. AmeriCorps participants learn how better to manage their time and their lives through the responsibility they accept when working on projects. They become more aware of their communities through their work, and develop strong bonds with local residents and organizations. Ultimately, AmeriCorps members find themselves better prepared than many of their peers to enter the workforce as productive, informed citizens.
The Spectrum is dismayed that Congress has chosen a "hard-line" approach to AmeriCorps' distress. While every taxpayer deserves to have his or her contribution count, there are few organizations as effective at returning services directly to communities across America as AmeriCorps is.
