Hundreds of eagles rallied at U.S. Capitol today telling Congress to “Let National Service Soar”

In largest-ever rally for national service, advocates in inflatable eagle costumes called for expanding funding for AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild in the 2019 budget.

WASHINGTON, DC (May 7, 2018) – Today, over two hundred eagles and supporters of national service rallied at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC to tell Congress to “Let National Service Soar.” It was the largest rally ever for national service. Advocates dressed in large inflatable eagle costumes flapped their wings and “soared” around the Capitol grounds. They were telling Congress to expand funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild. Just as the bald eagle overcame extinction in the 1970s and is now thriving, advocates were fighting to overcome the extinction of national service in the President’s 2019 budget and expand it.

The eagles and national service advocates mobilized throughout the morning commute at six locations across DC including Dupont Circle, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and Union Station. The morning mobilization capped off with a rally at U.S. Capitol where national service advocates and alums from AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps spoke about the impact of national service on their lives and the communities they served.

Did you see a giant inflatable eagle on your morning commute? Or maybe you heard about the hundreds of eagles that rallied at the Capitol over lunch? Wondering why there are hundreds of eagles soaring around DC today? Here’s what’s up...

New initiative aims to help revitalize Englewood neighborhood through service years

Managed by an Englewood native, the Initiative will, for the first time, engage 21 AmeriCorps VISTA members in the community

ENGLEWOOD, IL (April 27, 2018) – This month, eight AmeriCorps VISTA members kicked off their service years in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago through the Englewood VISTA Initiative. Spearheaded by Service Year Alliance and the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, the Englewood VISTA Initiative aims to strengthen and support the infrastructure that currently exists in the Englewood community by expanding economic opportunity, providing resources to local organizations, and helping these programs implement their strategic plans to revitalize the community.

An open letter to the Service Year Alliance community from our president, Robert Simmons III, on the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Please join us on this day as we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by committing to serve with humility, heart, and an open mind.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Congress’s 2018 spending deal is a step forward for national service

Congress’s FY18 omnibus spending bill increases funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service by $34M

WASHINGTON, DC (March 22, 2018) – “Over a year ago, national service and AmeriCorps faced elimination in the President’s FY18 budget proposal. In response, tens of thousands of national service advocates refused to accept this proposal and came together to make their voices heard — sending emails, making calls, signing petitions, dressing up as dinosaurs at the Capitol, and taking action in local communities across the country,” said Shirley Sagawa, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “Late last night, all of this hard work paid off when Congress released the text of their FY18 omnibus spending bill which increases funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service by $34M, increases funding for YouthBuild by $5M, and level funds the Peace Corps. Together with the national service field, we won a hard fought battle and successfully turned elimination into expansion.”

Service Year Alliance just hired Robert Simmons III as our new President and we are pretty excited for you to meet him. We’ll let him take it from here...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Service Year Alliance and Points of Light Agree to Transfer of AmeriCorps Alums

AmeriCorps Alums joins Service Year Alliance to boost service year field in innovative agreement with sector partner Points of Light

WASHINGTON, DC (March 14, 2018) – Today, in an effort to boost the service year field and advance shared missions, Service Year Alliance officially acquired AmeriCorps Alums from Points of Light. AmeriCorps Alums, which had been an enterprise of Points of Light since 2005, is the only national network that connects the over one million alumni of all AmeriCorps programs to resources that support their lifetime of service.

I’ve got exciting news to share.  As part of an innovative agreement and partnership between leading nonprofits, Points of Light is transferring AmeriCorps Alums — our programming, our brand, and our assets — to Service Year Alliance.

You may or may not know Service Year Alliance as the two-year old nonprofit startup that envisions an opportunity to serve for every young person in America. AmeriCorps Alums was involved in the early conversations that led to its formation and have partnered with Service Year Alliance’s team often over the years.

Stay Connected with AmeriCorps Alums

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ENGAGE Partners with Service Year Alliance to Launch the East Boston Corps

EAST BOSTON, MA (February 26, 2018) - Today, ENGAGE and Service Year Alliance officially announced the launch of the East Boston Corps, a neighborhood-wide strategy to close the youth program gap and solve other community challenges in East Boston — like obesity, unemployment, and English literacy. ENGAGE is a Boston-based initiative focused on promoting positive youth development across the country and Service Year Alliance is a nonprofit missioned with making a year of service a common expectation and opportunity for all.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, February 12, 2018

Service Year Alliance rejects the Administration’s budget proposal, calls for an increased investment in national service