Save National Service
House issues draft bill to eliminate CNCS – we need your help to save service!
On September 29, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee released a draft fiscal year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) funding bill that cuts the Corporation for National and Community Service budget by nearly 75%. The House bill only provides $280 million for Senior Corps programs and to accommodate the “orderly elimination of other programs,” including AmeriCorps, VISTA, the Social Innovation Fund, and Learn & Serve America. If this bill becomes law, CNCS will have to shut its doors!
We cannot let this happen because:
National service is a smart investment:
- Organizations supported by CNCS create jobs and provide national service members with valuable on-the-job training;
- Recipients of national service funds leverage over $800 million dollars annually, from private companies, foundations and other sources; and
- Every federal dollar invested in national service yields $2.01 worth of essential services.
Organizations supported by CNCS provide:
- 3 million children with vital educational support;
- Nearly 1 million seniors with life sustaining, in-home services;
- Thousands of veterans with meaningful work opportunities; and
- Thousands of healthy meals to the hungry and the elderly every day.
If Congress eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service, children, seniors, veterans and entire communities stand to lose essential services provided by organizations like: The American Red Cross, City Year, Feeding America, Foster Grandparents, Jumpstart, Habitat for Humanity, Public Allies, RSVP, Teach for America, YouthBuild, and thousands of local foodbanks, shelters, afterschool programs, and more.
Help to save service in America by:
Send a Letter to Your Senators and Congressperson
Right now, Congress is making difficult decisions about the budget. Write a letter to let your representatives know that funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service should be a priority.
In your letter, share stories of service that will make tangible the impact of national service and its proven ability to solve unmet needs in your community. Many elected leaders do not know that the local organizations their constituents rely on are recipients of CNCS grants. They are simply unaware of how federal funds are being leveraged locally to support a wide array of needed services, including mentoring and tutoring, responding to natural disasters, safeguarding the environment, delivering healthcare, leveraging community volunteers, building the capacity of community and faith-based organizations, and much more.
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Attend
a Town Hall Meeting
You can directly share your concerns with Congress about national service funding by attending a town hall meeting in your community. Members of Congress often hold public meetings in their communities when Congress is not in session. The meetings occur at community centers, schools, religious institutions, and other public spaces, allowing voters to share their views and concerns directly to their elected officials.
Contact your Representative and Senator’s local district offices to find out when they are holding a town hall meeting in your area. To prepare for the meeting click here to read a Guide to Town Hall Meetings. |
Invite
Your Elected Official
to Visit Your Program
Engaging our public leaders in service is a wonderful way to build support for national service and convey the impact that your program is having on your community. We hope that you will contact your public leaders, including your mayor, governor, city council members, and Members of Congress, and invite them to visit your program or participate in a day of service.
- Click here for a sample invitation letter
- Click here for tips on how to schedule a visit with an elected official
- Click here for tips on promoting your service day to the media
Please help us keep track of how many Members participate in site visits by emailing info@voicesforservice.org<mailto:info@voicesforservice.org> or calling 202-742-7374 once participation is confirmed. We would also love to receive a copy of any photos you take with your Members of Congress. Photos can be emailed to the address above. |
Write
to Your Local Paper
Locate instructions for how to write to the Opinion Editor of your paper. Instructions often appear on the Opinion page of the newspaper or you can visit the newspaper’s website.
You can then write your own Letter to the Editor or Op-Ed. Write about your personal experience with national service programs and call for elected officials to support full funding for national service. It is best to be specific about recent legislation (see Legislative Updates) and what action you want taken. |
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