On April 28, 2025, we learned that all AmeriCorps operations have ceased in New York State. This follows the furlough of 85% of AmeriCorps agency staff and the elimination of the National Civilian Community Corps.

The decision by DOGE to terminate funding for AmeriCorps will profoundly impact public trail lands across our region. It’s crucial we contact our lawmakers to advocate for AmeriCorps’ preservation.  

AmeriCorps is a vital national service program that promotes volunteerism, and its members lead the way in conservation and community-building projects across the country. For decades, they’ve responded to natural disaster relief efforts, built homes for people in need, and helped support an array of local charities and nonprofit organizations, providing the people power necessary to create lasting change in our communities.  

The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference proudly partners with AmeriCorps as part of our Conservation Corps program. Since 2012, our Corps members have logged thousands of hours on sustainable trail building initiatives and native habitat restoration programs, expanding access to nature and safeguarding our trail lands as they transform into the next generation of environmental leaders. 

The positive effect our Corps members have on the environment is immense. The loss to the outdoor community cannot be overstated.

Here at Trail Conference HQ, we’re doing everything we can to keep our 2025 Conservation Corps members on board and our upcoming trail projects on track. At the national level, New York will soon join other states in filing legal proceedings over the cuts.

We urge you to join us in supporting our community and advocating for AmeriCorps’ preservation. Here’s what you can do to help:

1. CALL CONGRESS to voice your your concerns about the deep cuts to the agency.
2. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT on social media and encourage your friends and followers to do the same.
3. EMAIL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS using the sample letter below. Contact your representatives today to let them know: We must protect AmeriCorps at all costs and preserve its contributions to the lands we all love.  

[ SAMPLE LETTER ]

Subject: Urgent: Save AmeriCorps  

Dear [Include Your Representative’s Name], 

It is imperative that you act now to protect AmeriCorps, an essential force for good in our communities and environment. 

AmeriCorps represents the best of us. From coast to coast, members in this national service program lead the way in crucial conservation and community-building initiatives, supporting nonprofit organizations to create lasting and meaningful change. 

As an outdoor enthusiast and a supporter of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, I can personally attest to AmeriCorps’ positive impact on my community. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference maintains and protects over 2,000 miles of public trail lands in the Northeast. AmeriCorps members are fundamental to the Trail Conference’s conservation efforts, executing sustainable trail building initiatives and native habitat restoration programs through invasive species management. Together, they safeguard our precious landscapes, expand the public’s access to the outdoors, and cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders. 

The furlough of 85% of AmeriCorps agency staff and the widespread cessation of AmeriCorps operations across the country, including those in New York, jeopardizes the agency’s future and threatens vital volunteer partnerships. This must be stopped immediately.

I urge you to take action today. Please protect AmeriCorps, its funding, and preserve its critical contributions to our nation, our communities, and the lands we all love. Thank you for your support. 

Sincerely, 

[Your Name] 

Need help finding the contact info for your elected officials? Resources like democracy.io and usa.gov make it easy to look up and write to your members of Congress. Use the buttons below and contact them now with the sample letter we provided.