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Urge your congressional members to protect AmeriCorps!

The AmeriCorps program and its members are vital for advancing Habitat for Humanity's mission. Now is the time to show Congress they need to protect it.

Earlier this year, the Administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took steps to dismantle AmeriCorps, including dismissing nearly all federal agency staff, demobilizing members, and terminating close to $400 million in grant funding. Now, there are even more threats:

The President's budget is proposing to shut down AmeriCorps.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has started to dismantle service programs by withholding nearly $200 million in funds that were already appropriated by Congress, leaving thousands of AmeriCorps members and volunteers unable to begin their service.

We are relieved that Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity has been awarded our grant funding for the upcoming year, which means that our next AmeriCorps cohort is able to start in September. Still, we are deeply concerned about the potential impacts of these actions to our work in the future, and the many communities across our state and country who are already feeling the impacts of these decisions. Whether it's education, disaster relief, senior care, or food instability, AmeriCorps provides essential services that are on the line right now. Please contact Congress to let them know the value of AmeriCorps.

In addition to sending a letter to your members of Congress, you can help support members who have been unexpectedly removed from service by donating to the National Emergency Assistance Fund. Contributions will provide financial assistance to AmeriCorps members who have been forced to exit the program as they navigate their next steps. The Emergency Assistance Fund is being managed by America’s Service Commissions, a nonprofit, nonpartisan national association for the 52 governor-led state and territorial AmeriCorps service commissions.

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Do you have a connection to AmeriCorps? If you have specific experiences with the AmeriCorps program as a former member, staff person, or volunteer, consider adding them to your message and sharing your story! These stories are crucial to showing congressional members the personal impacts these programs have on the people they represent.

What was your favorite part of the AmeriCorps program?
What skills or lessons did you learn through your experience that you will continue to utilize in the future?
How has being a member impacted your relationship to your community after your service?
If you're a staff member or volunteer, how have you learned from and felt supported by AmeriCorps members?

As an alum, you can also share your story with Service Year Alliance, who are collecting service stories to highlight the impact of AmeriCorps.

*For current members, any advocacy actions should be done on personal time.

Thank you for using your voice in support of affordable housing and AmeriCorps!

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Minnesota Congressional senators and house reps

Subject: Protect AmeriCorps

Message:

Hello, I am writing to you as a constituent and supporter of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, urging you to act now to protect AmeriCorps. The members of this program provide invaluable services to communities in every state and federal territory across our country, and are essential in advancing the missions of nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations like Habitat for Humanity. I am concerned about the profound impact that cuts to AmeriCorps will have on our work and the work of Habitat affiliates nation-wide and am calling on your support and leadership to protect this vital program. Specifically, I urge you to take every step possible to protect level funding for AmeriCorps in the upcoming FY 2026 budget and work with the Office of Management and Budget to ensure the release of all congressionally appropriated funds for FY 2025 grants. As you know, the Office of Management and Budget is withholding nearly $200 million in previously appropriated AmeriCorps funds. This is leaving nearly 19,000 members unable to begin their service, and communities across the country stalled without AmeriCorps services they rely on. Communities have already been feeling the impacts of the steps taken by DOGE and the Administration previously this year to dismantle AmeriCorps, and they need your support. As a public-private partnership with strong bipartisan support, efficient use of federal dollars, and demonstrated long-term impacts to its members and communities, AmeriCorps is a model for the kinds of programs we need to invest in. Since 1994, over 12,000 members have worked with Habitat organizations, supporting the creation of thousands of homes and serving over 135,000 individuals in need of safe, affordable, decent housing. In addition to their essential role in advancing our mission, members gain critical job skills and strong connections to their community and those they serve with. Most members go on to have a deep commitment to community service, and at Twin Cities Habitat, many are hired after their term as full-time employees. As communities in our state and country continue to grapple with an affordable housing crisis and critical supply shortage in our housing stock, AmeriCorps members are needed now more than ever. Thank you for your support in protecting this vital program and ensuring every Minnesotan has a chance at homeownership. Thank you,

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Urge your congressional members to protect AmeriCorps!

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