This spring, Brandon F. was rebuilding homes in North Carolina ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Brandon had committed to a year of service through AmeriCorps NCCC, a team-based service year program for young adults.
For decades, teams like Brandon’s have shown up in response to natural disasters and stayed long after news cameras and public attention moved elsewhere. Yet, just months after Brandon started his service year, he found himself back at home without a paycheck and looking for answers.
Brandon is one of nearly 33,000 Americans whose AmeriCorps service was abruptly terminated in April when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) dismantled the program. As CEO of Service Year Alliance, I’ve spent months hearing hundreds of heartbreaking stories from corps members whose service year journeys were disrupted…