On April 25, as the community gathered to celebrate the impact of Ecolibrium3’s AmeriCorps programs at our Earth Week Sip and Support fundraiser, staff members did not know what was looming in their email inboxes: messages terminating both the Ecolibrium3 Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program and the Ecolibrium3 Energy Training Corps program.
These cuts affect 21 members and will have impacts that ripple through our community, as they provide important capacity-building services to many organizations. The Ecolibrium3 AmeriCorps programs were focused on addressing poverty holistically through food access and systems, government policy, community development, education, and energy security and efficiency. The Ecolibrium3 VISTA program has supported 134 members since its founding in 2017. At the time of termination, the Energy Training Corps had three members working to establish the program and recruit additional members to fully launch this summer.
This loss will be felt throughout the community, as members directly supported local organizations and the people they serve. AmeriCorps members have been the backbone capacity builders behind projects like the healthy food access for children and low-income families, programming for families of incarcerated individuals, supporting unhoused community members, and the LNPK Solar garden, which assists veterans with energy costs. Since 2017, the Ecolibrium3 VISTA program has secured over $43 million in funding and resources for local organizations.
Eco3’s AmeriCorps programs were not the only programs cut. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) terminated nearly $400 million in grant funding, affecting over 1,000 programs across the country. This action prematurely ended service for over 32,000 AmeriCorps members. Ecolibrium3 will join others in challenging this illegal termination. However, immediately, we are working to ensure the 21 members in our community who have been impacted are supported.
AmeriCorps members choose to serve our communities and are the best of us. They receive a small living stipend and an education award that helps pay off college debt. They do not qualify for unemployment, even when their contracts are cancelled without notice. With the immediate termination of the Ecolibrium3 AmeriCorps programs, our members are now facing financial insecurity, as they must continue paying for housing, food, and healthcare without a primary source of income.
We are calling on our community partners and supporters to help us assist our terminated members through their abrupt transition. Donations can be made to the AmeriCorps Emergency Response Fund. These funds will ensure members have housing security and can meet their immediate needs as they seek new employment opportunities.
Thank you for supporting Ecolibrium3 and the members of our AmeriCorps programs.