The recent termination of nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants by the Trump administration has left thousands of volunteers abruptly without work. The decision, citing a mismatch with AmeriCorps' priorities, has prompted immediate disbandment of programs in essential sectors like disaster recovery and education. Many young adults, including team leader Theo Faucher and volunteer Brandon Fernandez, expressed devastation over losing opportunities for personal growth and service. The cuts, compounded by staff layoffs, raise concerns about the future of a program aimed at fostering civic responsibility over three decades.
"I kinda feel devastated," said Brandon Fernandez, who's 21 and was helping with disaster recovery after Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. He was hoping the assignment might lead to a job with FEMA.
The Trump administration had ended nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants, a sizable chunk of the agency's roughly billion dollar budget.
Faucher, the team leader who got the news in West Virginia, said slashing the budget of this small agency is a shame. "I think AmeriCorps is a very patriotic program," he said.
When his group was told they were being disbanded, he said he and others struggled to hold back tears.
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