Trump’s gutting of AmeriCorps hits hard, for both volunteers and communities

The editor

Brandon Fernandez, second from left, with AmeriCorps colleagues in North Carolina this year, where they were helping with disaster recovery after Hurricane Helene. He and others struggled to hold back tears when their deployment was cut short.

The Trump administration slashed funding for the national service agency and fired most of its staff. 32,000 people, mostly young adults, were forced to stop work immediately.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Brandon Fernandez)