OC AmeriCorps Alliance

Act Now!

Action Alert
Act Before July 18th to Save the AmeriCorps Education Award

In mid-June, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee passed a Fiscal Year 2007 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill, which cuts AmeriCorps by $60 million and Learn and Serve America by $3 million.

The House panel also recommended cutting the post-service educational benefit by $675 per full-time participant. Language in the committee report says the AmeriCorps Education Award should track the maximum Pell Grant, which is currently $4050. A major difference: the Ed Award is taxed; Pell Grants are not. The Education Award has never been increased, despite escalating education costs. Reducing it now sends the wrong message to those who wish to serve our country and directly harms participants.

Before the next step in the appropriations process, supporters of national service must reach out to urge Congress to restore funding for all national service programs and to save the Education Award. On July 18th the Senate appropriators convene. Prior to their meeting you can support national service by:

1. Immediately FAX a letter to Senator Arlen Specter, Chairman of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, before his subcommittee meets on July 18th to discuss funding for AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. To review a draft letter from alumni click here. To review a general draft letter click here. Your letter will only arrive in time, if you fax it!
2. Call Labor HHS Appropriators and tell them to restore funding for national service. Click here for instructions and talking points.
3. Write Members of Congress and tell them that the national service programs in their states are in jeopardy. Visit www.congress.org to identify your Congressional representatives and click here to view a draft letter that you can customize.
4. Forward the New York Times editorial, Keeping the Faith with AmeriCorps, to your local paper and urge them to write about national service funding.
5. Tell 10 friends to visit www.VoicesForService.org.

Together we have a voice to make change!

Photography and Service

Each year the California Service Corps showcases pictures of Californians engaged in service. This year the calendar is going to highlight the artistic talents of service members and volunteers throughout the state. For the 2007 Calendar, 12 original photographs of California landscapes that capture the spirit of California, taken by service members and volunteers, will be selected for the calendar. Additionally the individuals whose photographs are selected will likely be featured in the calendar.

To be considered, please submit:

Your favorite ORIGINAL photo of the California landscape

Photographer name

Contact Info

Program Affiliation

3-5 sentence description of the photo

This is a wonderful way to highlight your service to California in an artistic way!