FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Service Year Alliance released the following statement today in response to the markup of the FY18 budget by the Senate Labor-Health and Human Services and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations subcommittees:

“We are relieved to see the Senate reject President Trump’s FY18 budget proposal and provide level funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild,” said Shirley Sagawa, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “Thanks to the bipartisan support from members of Congress, the 80,000 young people who are in Texas responding to Hurricane Harvey, in West Virginia battling the opioid crisis, in Montana and California fighting wildfires, and all across the country will be able to continue serving these communities in need. This is a critical step towards our goal of universal national service.”

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This morning, an unprecedented number of dinosaurs took to the streets of Washington, DC to tell Congress to stop national service extinction. The hundreds of dinosaurs and national service advocates were present at 8 locations across the city. This included Dupont Circle, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and Union Station. The morning ended with a record number of dinosaurs rallying at the US Capitol. The campaign was in response to President Trump's 2018 budget proposal which threatens to eliminate national service programs like AmeriCorps and outlines the largest cut to the Peace Corps by a president in 40 years.

So you’re wondering what’s up with all of the dinosaurs you keep seeing around DC today? They were at your metro stop and you saw a video of them outside the Capitol, but you have no idea why? Here’s what’s going on...

A record number of dinosaurs and national service advocates are taking action across Washington, DC today to stop national service extinction.

Charles Johnson was a student athlete in college with the goal of one day working in law enforcement. After an internship with the Richmond Police Department, Charles decided that law enforcement would not be the best way for him to make an impact. He completed two service years and found the passion to open his own business educating at-risk youth about the environment around them.  

We have some good news from Capitol Hill:

Yesterday afternoon, the subcommittee in the House that oversees funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild voted to approve their draft budget for 2018. Thanks to your hard work and dedication, the committee's draft budget rejects President Trump’s proposal to eliminate AmeriCorps, and fully funds both AmeriCorps and YouthBuild at their FY17 levels.

On behalf of the entire service year community: Thank you.

In New York City’s most high-crime neighborhoods, service year corps members with Green City Force are teaching their neighbors environmental sustainability practices — all the while learning essential job skills for the workforce. We teamed up with NationSwell to tell the story.

Today, Service Year Alliance, the national organization striving to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans, unveiled their newest initiative, “Service Year 100.” The announcement took place at the National Service Symposium in San Francisco, CA.