Service Year Alliance released the following statement in response to the FY22 Omnibus Spending Bill: 

Service Year Alliance is grateful to congressional leadership for their continued support of and investment in national service  critical programming which meets urgent community needs, builds civic renewal, and prepares young Americans for next steps in their professional journey. This fiscal year’s modest increase in appropriations to both AmeriCorps (+$30M) and YouthBuild (+$2M) will allow more young Americans to serve in tangible ways over the coming year, helping communities recover from the pandemic, return to in-person school, and respond to natural disasters. Through FY22 funding, Peace Corps volunteers will also be returning to in-person service in countries across the globe. President Biden and members of the National Service Caucus, chaired by Reps. Matsui and Price, and Sens. Cassidy and Coons, should be commended for their support of national service, on the heels of historic increases provided through the American Rescue Plan last year.

Today, at the conclusion of Peace Corps Week – a celebration of the creation of the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 – Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) introduced a package of legislation aimed at supercharging national service and encouraging more Americans to engage in service of all forms in their communities.

“Throughout American history, ordinary people have stepped up to accomplish extraordinary things in service to our country. From those serving soup and planting victory gardens, to volunteer first responders spending their nights in the back of an ambulance, to the millions who joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, rebuilding our country after the Great Depression, Americans have always served one another, and I’m calling on us to recommit ourselves to doing it again,” said Congressman Kim. “With this legislative package, I want to jumpstart and supercharge national service, incentivizing and opening up more opportunities for Americans to serve at home and abroad. I firmly believe that if we want to heal the divides we see in our country, recommitting ourselves to caring for one another through acts of service is a great place to start.”

Today, nine Republicans and nine Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Building Civic Bridges Act - bipartisan legislation to empower communities to tackle sources of division while assisting local civic and community organizations with ongoing efforts to address contentious issues and ultimately, bridge divides.

According to an NBC News poll conducted in January 2022, 70 percent of Americans agree with the statement that “America has become so polarized that it can no longer solve the major issues facing the country — and that those differences will only continue to grow” – up from 45 percent in 2010. The increase in polarization is prompting serious doubts about whether American democracy is under threat. That same NBC News poll showed that 76 percent of Americans — including 7 in 10 Democrats, Republicans, and independents — “believe there is a threat to democracy and majority rule in this country.”

Vice President Harris has been widely criticized for her assessment that “our democracy” presented one of the biggest threats to national security. Perhaps the vice president was more correct than the critics are giving her credit for, but the threat she identified (state laws with the proffered goal of ballot integrity) does nothing to address another insidious harm to democracy demonstrated over the last 20 years.

This past Sept. 11 marked the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil that resulted in almost 3,000 deaths and injuries to several thousand more. Our response to those attacks ushered in the longest uninterrupted period of combat operations in the nation’s history. Yet, although the 9/11 attacks affronted all Americans, only a small percentage of them have sought military service since that tragic day. But beyond the aggressive exercise of presidential war powers across at least four administrations and decades of congressional acquiescence, the people of the United States must also bear some responsibility for their inaction.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Service Year Alliance Statement on Michael Smith’s Confirmation as CEO of AmeriCorps

WASHINGTON, DC (December 8, 2021) – Service Year Alliance released the following statement today congratulating Michael Smith on his confirmation to lead the AmeriCorps agency, formerly known as the Corporation for National and Community Service:

“Service Year Alliance applauds the Senate for confirming Michael Smith as CEO of the AmeriCorps agency earlier today. After a monumental year for national service, with investments in AmeriCorps through the American Rescue Plan, the creation of a new Public Health AmeriCorps, and the possibility for major expansion with the Civilian Climate Corps, Michael Smith is set to lead the agency through a new phase of growth,” said Kristen Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer of Service Year Alliance. “Michael’s long experience working with the nonprofit sector in pursuit of equity-driven reforms make him the right leader for this pivotal moment. He has the opportunity to lead the way in reimagining national service, so that every young person in America has the ability to serve and through that service is set on a pathway towards employment and further education. We look forward to his leadership, and are eager to work in partnership with him and the agency to bring young people together in common purpose as we recover from the pandemic and begin a new era for national service in America.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Media Contact: Aly Ferguson, [email protected]

National Service Leaders Praise House Passage of Historic Build Back Better Act, Including Civilian Climate Corps 

Service Year Alliance, the States for Service coalition, The Corps Network, and Voices for National Service thank House leadership for the once-in-a-generation investment in national service and urge passage of the Build Back Better Act, transformative legislation for our climate and working families

WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2021) – Today, on the heels of the House passage of the historic Build Back Better Act, leaders of four national service organizations — Service Year Alliance, the States for Service coalition, The Corps Network, and Voices for National Service — released statements praising the bill and its inclusion of a 300,000 member Civilian Climate Corps (CCC). The organizations called for the swift passage of the Build Back Better Act in the Senate. 

As proposed by the White House in last week’s framework, the Build Back Better Act includes robust funding for a Civilian Climate Corps that will engage 300,000 Americans in the fight against climate change over the next decade. From conserving our public lands to bolstering community resilience and addressing the changing climate, the CCC includes a flagship AmeriCorps program with increased benefits that reimagines national service in America and will put young Americans on a pathway to good-paying climate jobs... 

Service Year Alliance Released the following Statement on Leadership Transitions within the Organization:

"After much thought and consideration, I have decided that it is in the best interest of my family and of the organization for me to move on from Service Year Alliance,” said Jesse Colvin, “I am so proud to have led this organization for the past two years through a tumultuous time for our country and a moment of real opportunity for national service. The organization is in a very strong place to deliver at this critically important inflection point. I have full faith and confidence in our capable and passionate team, and I look forward to watching them continue the work to make national service a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans...” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Service Year Alliance Announces National Service Community Challenge Grant Recipients

Service Year Alliance, with support from the Mott Foundation, is awarding four $25,000 grants to communities using national service to address local needs. 

WASHINGTON, DC (November 8, 2021) – Service Year Alliance announced today the recipients of $100,000 in National Service Community Challenge Grants. The four $25,000 awards, made possible through a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, are designed to help new and existing community collaboratives attract sustainable local funding as they use national service as a strategy to address local needs. Each recipient has until April 2022 to secure a 1:1 financial match...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Media Contact: Aly Ferguson, [email protected]

Leaders in the National Service Field Applaud White House Inclusion of a Civilian Climate Corps in Build Back Better Act Framework

Service Year Alliance, States for Service, The Corps Network, and Voices for National Service join forces in celebrating the inclusion of a 300,000 member CCC in the reconciliation package & encourage final passage of the bill

WASHINGTON, DC (October 29, 2021) – Leaders across the national service field released statements today applauding the White House’s inclusion of a 300,000 member Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) in their framework for the Build Back Better Act. The announcement of the White House’s framework was followed by the release of legislative text from Congress that matches the White House’s vision for a bold CCC that meets the scale of the climate crisis... 

Gap years are common in many nations around the world. After finishing public education, it’s a chance for young people to travel, see new parts of the world, experience new cultures, and gain work experience before committing to their future career paths, whether that involves college or entering directly into the workforce.

For many young people, gap years can take the form of service years: signing on with an organization that does charitable work for communities in need. While the pay for this work is nothing to write home about, it’s an opportunity to help others, gain hands-on experience in practical work, and bolster their resumé with potential employers and educational institutions.

Service Year Alliance connects young people with organizations that offer these opportunities. Service Year Alliance does not host service year programs, and people do not serve with them directly. Instead, Service Year Alliance supports service organizations with resources and tools to help them improve and scale their programs. And it advocates for additional funding for service organizations at the federal and local levels.

Read the full piece via Bad Credit here.