Community Corner: 'We must stand up for AmeriCorps'

Hilary Kinney, a Moundsville native living in Wheeling, says West Virginians-especially the state's elected officials-should stand up for the AmeriCorps programs slashed last week.

Last week, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced it would cancel $400 million in AmeriCorps grants—slashing 40 percent of the agency’s annual budget and jeopardizing more than 32,000 service roles across the country. At a time of rising loneliness, deep division, and pressing community needs, we can’t afford to stand by as one of the few institutions still stitching us together is threatened—we must stand up for it.

What AmeriCorps Does…

AmeriCorps members help those most in need, and in the process, discover their own sense of purpose and well-being. AmeriCorps members are volunteers young and old, serving at organizations in all 50 states. AmeriCorps members lead programming, operations, and even fundraising efforts at organizations helping veterans, babies, the elderly, the unhoused, animals, and more. They are mentoring at-risk students, leading therapeutic activities for people with disabilities, and delivering aid after devastating natural disasters—and right now, all of that is at risk of disappearing.

This attempt to dismantle AmeriCorps should be concerning to every American and especially every West Virginian, no matter their political views. If we believe in investing in what holds us together, then AmeriCorps isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Why West Virginia Should Lead the Defense…

According to Volunteer West Virginia, the state’s Commission​ for National and Community Service, West Virginia ranks #2 in the entire country for producing AmeriCorps members, which is not shocking considering West Virginians’ dedication to service. In the most recent impact report generated by AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau, from September 2022-September 2023, more than 330,000 West Virginians volunteered through local organizations. The same report estimates that these volunteers from all over the state carried out 23 MILLION hours of volunteer work, generating an approximate economic value of $600 million.

Not one West Virginian would be surprised by these figures. Why? Because we are known for helping our neighbors and rolling up our sleeves when our communities need it most. It’s in our DNA as West Virginians to show up for one another—through AmeriCorps affiliated organizations, our kids’ little league teams, our churches, our food pantries, and more. Volunteers are never thinking about statistics related to their work—they’re thinking about the neighbor in front of them who needs a lending hand. However, because this action is being spearheaded by an agency created to make our government more efficient, it’s important that we draw our attention to these numbers that underscore the economic impact our volunteer labor has in our state and local economies. AmeriCorps has done a knock-up job of measuring their impact over the years, reporting an approximate $17 return on investment for every single taxpayer dollar spent. If the goal of DOGE is to increase government efficiency, then this decision to defund AmeriCorps is misguided.

AmeriCorps as a Cure for Disconnection…

In addition to the value AmeriCorps members bring to their communities, it’s crucial to remember the value these roles provide to AmeriCorps members themselves, and the potential for AmeriCorps to actually serve as an antidote to the crisis we are facing as a nation.

In 2023, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared a loneliness epidemic in the United States. Countless studies and polls produced by organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, Gallup, the U.S. Census Bureau and others have revealed staggering statistics regarding this crisis, one even highlighting that 10 percent of Americans feel lonely every single day (APA), and another revealing that in 2024, 28% of individuals aged 18–24 reported frequent loneliness (U.S. Census Household Pulse survey).

Volunteering can and should be one way through which we collaborate, connect, and heal, especially here in Appalachia. Opportunities to engage in service make us more human. They’re where we meet our neighbors, both experience and practice generosity, and realize how our skills and talents as citizens weave into the fabric of our town, state, or country. They get us out of our homes, off of our phones, and into rooms with others who are driven to make our communities better.

I’ve met people who have moved to West Virginia specifically to serve with AmeriCorps. I have friends who met their spouses through AmeriCorps, and as a former AmeriCorps VISTA myself, serving through AmeriCorps solidified within me a desire to always want to be engaged in volunteer service in my own community.

What We Can Do Now…

Despite this troubling news, there is a way to take action. Now is the time to double down on our commitment to service as West Virginians and Americans. Urge West Virginia Attorney General McCuskey to join the multistate lawsuit to save AmeriCorps. Contact the offices of our U.S. Senators, Senator Capito and Senator Justice, sharing what AmeriCorps means to you and the value it brings to our West Virginia communities.

Finally, give what you can, in time and in dollars, and show up for the individuals and organizations who need it most. Caring for our neighbors and serving side-by-side in person will spark a lasting era of connection—one built by us, and beyond the reach of politics.

About the author: Hilary Kinney is the Director of Community at Civics Unplugged, a civics education nonprofit engaging high school students around the world. Her previous work experience includes teaching special education, mobilizing young voters in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and leading political campaigns. She’s a former AmeriCorps VISTA and current volunteer special advocate with CASA.

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