DOGE targets a community service program in its latest cost-cutting effort

By HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press DES MOINES Iowa AP A -year-old public system effort that sends young adults to work on projects across the U S was the latest target of the Trump administration s campaign to slash regime spending AmeriCorps National Civilian Area Corps informed assistants Tuesday that they would exit the project early due to programmatic circumstances beyond your control according to an email obtained by The Associated Press The unsigned memo to corps members announced NCCC s ability to sustain campaign operations was impacted by the Trump administration s priorities and President Donald Trump s executive order creating the Department of Establishment Efficiency Members would be officially dismissed April AmeriCorps did not respond Wednesday to an AP email seeking comment What project was affected and why AmeriCorps NCCC which completed its th year last year employs more than people ages to participating for a roughly -month provision term according to the effort s website The teams of corps members are tasked with working on several projects related to teaching housing urban and rural growth land conservation and accident relief driving from one assignment to another across the country The agency pays for participants basic expenses including housing meals and a limited healthcare benefit as well as a modest living allowance according to the initiative The effort also provided members who complete their -hour system term with funding for future coaching expenses or to apply to certain candidate loans That benefit was worth about this function year Funding for AmeriCorps and NCCC has long been scrutinized when Congress talks of budget trims The federal agency s budget manifested NCCC funding amounted to nearly million last fiscal year A White House official mentioned the Trump administration questioned using taxpayer money for the venture The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly What work were they doing The traditional NCCC supporters worked with sponsors including population and faith-based based organizations nonprofits schools cities and tribes Several of the up-to-date arrangement projects included working at a food bank in Washington state building homes with Habitat for Humanity in North Carolina and facilitating after school programs in Arizona AmeriCorps NCCC also has a partnership with the Federal Crisis Management Agency and more in the last few days the U S Forest Provision Those participants over the last year responded to tornadoes and flooding in Iowa hurricane damage in North Carolina and wildfires in California among other natural disasters when helpers are especially visible What happens next for corps members Young corps members were narrated Tuesday night to pack up Multiple started long road trips from their latest assignment to campuses in Vicksburg Mississippi Vinton Iowa Sacramento California and Aurora Colorado Members would receive their allowance and strength coverage through the end of April according to the memo Members were communicated in the memo that those who have completed or more of their term would be eligible for a prorated amount of their training award But Kate Raftery who was NCCC director from to reported she s worried about the corps members a multitude of of whom were the exceptional persons of interest who saw this as a really impactful tuition or career launching pad They were not young people who had been striving to be facility members somewhere Raftery commented They were looking for an opportunity to improve their life They were looking for an opportunity to build specific skills and to be part of a neighborhood