AmeriCorps Delivers Critical Capacity for Vermont Communities

AmeriCorps is a national service program that places emerging leaders in nonprofits and community organizations to meet pressing local needs, strengthening housing, conservation, and food security efforts statewide. The VHCB AmeriCorps program deploys members throughout Vermont, supporting the capacity and services of more than 20 host sites.

On April 25, 2025, this vital infrastructure was suddenly jeopardized when the federal government abruptly terminated over $2 million in AmeriCorps funding for Vermont, effective immediately. This decision froze recruitment, canceled positions, and left 22 active members uncertain about their service. This crisis threatened to strip essential capacity from 20 partner organizations.  As Anna Morris of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science noted, the impact was immediate: “Without them, hundreds of schoolchildren and families would lose access to programs they count on”.  The cut threatened to stop support for 198 households receiving vital housing services and risk access to food for nearly 7,000 individuals.

A news story on how VHCB AmeriCorps community mobilized when $2.4M in funding was abruptly cut, putting 200 service positions at risk.

VHCB’s Leadership: Unanimous Vote Ensures Service Continuity

The crisis revealed the depth of partnership at the heart of the AmeriCorps model. Just days later, VHCB’s Board voted unanimously to make a transformational investment, opting to continue the program using operational savings. Host organizations across the state affirmed their commitment to keeping members in their roles. This bold, values-driven decision ensured that service to Vermont communities would not be disrupted, protecting the results of years of investment in people and place.

Had the program ceased, over 20 host organizations would have lost the essential capacity needed to deliver their missions:

• The program guaranteed continued support to 198 households receiving vital housing services and prevented a 25% reduction in capacity to deliver food to food-insecure neighbors, saving access for nearly 7,000 individuals.
• In the conservation sector, the program preserved ongoing stewardship of 1,416 acres of land and maintenance for over 56 miles of community trails that are accessed by thousands of Vermonters.

“We want to do right by them, because they have been
doing right by their communities.”
— Gus Seelig, VHCB Executive Director

Member Commitment: Continuing Essential Services

VHCB’s commitment was matched by the extraordinary dedication of AmeriCorps members. Despite the termination notice, 21 of the 22 active members chose to continue serving, ensuring host organizations maintained essential service capacity. This demonstrates the commitment to community the program cultivates. For members like Nat Wood, serving with Groundworks, the decision to continue was deeply personal: “My service provided purpose, financial stability, and a connection to my community. Termination would have meant losing all of that at once.”

Just two days after the cut, members Ana Maria Arroyo and Marek Zajac organized a Green Up Day service project in Montpelier. This initiative transformed a moment of adversity into a visible, unifying act of service. Despite a cold, steady downpour, this action served as an immediate, unified statement: AmeriCorps service is essential. By cleaning key public spaces, members actively demonstrated that investment in VHCB AmeriCorps cultivates leaders who prioritize their commitment to Vermont, even amid uncertainty. As Marek Zajac put it: “Uncertain of where the future might lead, we joined together in the solidarity that giving back is always the answer to despair.”

                                     VHCB AmeriCorps members pick-up trash on Green Up Day in Montpelier.

VHCB’s investment in continuity of the AmeriCorps program ensured that communities did not lose the services they count on, and that a dedicated group of emerging leaders did not lose their connection to Vermont. This year clearly demonstrated the program’s crucial role as community infrastructure, developing the leadership, organizational strength, and collaborative capacity Vermont needs to sustain progress long-term.

“Even when the program was cut,
members kept showing up for Vermont.”
— Erin Riley, Program Director, VHCB AmeriCorps

The Work Continues

Service and resilience remain at the heart of VHCB AmeriCorps. Learn more about how members strengthen Vermont communities, explore current opportunities, and see the impact of service in action:

• About VHCB AmeriCorps
• Explore Service Opportunities
• View the 2024–2025 AmeriCorps Program Report (PDF)