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Last month, AmeriCorps lost nearly $400 million in federal funding. While AmeriCorps is a national service organization, these cuts will affect vital programs across California and here in the Bay Area. City Year, the largest AmeriCorps program, is currently accomplishing four things locally that are now in jeopardy:
- Directly helping local students recover from pandemic-era learning loss;
- Helping young adults transition into a difficult job market;
- Creating teacher and staff pathways at a time when schools are struggling to staff up;
- Building community and bridging divides at a time when our country is increasingly polarized.
Both of us are City Year alums and believe deeply in the mission of City Year. We both know that when AmeriCorps is strong, we all are – City Year, Ravenswood and the entire Bay Area community.
For 30 years, City Year has proudly served the San José and East Palo Alto areas, supporting over 100,000 students in our community, including those in the Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto and the Belle Haven neighborhood in Menlo Park. City Year helps school leaders identify students and areas with high need and designs programs to support them. We’ve seen meaningful progress in recent years as we’ve fought an uphill battle against low literacy rates and chronic absenteeism following the COVID-19 pandemic.
There’s no question that our school districts need support now more than ever. In the wake of the pandemic, students across the country have further fallen behind in literacy and math. Ravenswood has low literacy and high rates of chronic absenteeism. City Year and Ravenswood worked together to design and execute literacy tutoring in small groups during the school day and a before school program that targets students with high needs. We’ve seen the difference these programs can make already. While still early, the number of Ravenswood students more than two years behind grade level has dropped by a third.
City Year corps members do all of this for a bi-weekly living stipend of $1,400 and an education award after their year of service. This low cost makes AmeriCorps, and a year of volunteerism and public service, one of the most efficient ways to provide local jobs and support local schools. Research shows that an investment in AmeriCorps yields high returns: for every taxpayer dollar invested in national service programs, there is more than $17 repaid into the community through higher earnings, increased economic output and other benefits. The cost to taxpayers is minimal compared to the benefits to the community.
City Year not only provides a first job, but also builds pathways to and through college and expands career opportunities here on the Peninsula. A year of service and accompanying development prepares AmeriCorps members for success and fulfillment in their careers. Our data shows that young people who serve here, stay here. Almost half of City Year alumni who go on to careers in education teach in the districts they served. As City Year alumni, we know firsthand the passion for education that a year of service inspires, and the leadership skills it helps young people develop. Without City Year, neither one of us would be the education leaders that we are today.
For over 30 years, AmeriCorps has demonstrated its commitment to our country and our communities through service. It’s our chance to give that commitment back in return.
You can help. Donate today! All amounts are welcome. Contact your elected officials and urge them to protect AmeriCorps through Voices for National Service. And share the message. Invite friends and family who care about education to learn more and take action.
Luke Hostetter is executive director of City Year San José/Silicon Valley, and William Eger is assistant superintendent of Ravenswood City School District. Both are former AmeriCorps members and City Year alumni.
