Source: US State of California Governor
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must restore funding to AmeriCorps in California. This comes after Governor Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of states sued the Trump administration over DOGE efforts to dismantle AmeriCorps – the federal agency vital to supporting volunteer and service efforts in California and across the country.
Commonsense has prevailed over cruelty. The court is rightly siding with volunteers and service workers. Today, we’re doing right by John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver and all those who put others before themselves.
Governor Gavin Newsom
In 2024, at least 6,150 California members served at more than 1,200 locations, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans’ facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations. When the devastating fires struck Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were on the ground, distributing supplies and supporting families. The agency’s shutdown ends these efforts.
California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:
Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce.
In the 2023-24 service year, AmeriCorps members in California:
- Provided 4,397,674 hours of service
- Tutored/mentored 73,833 students
- Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment
- Planted 39,288 trees
Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.