Colorado Headlines:

Colorado Headlines:

Devilishly Discerning: AmeriCorps Wars

The Trump Admin's Trump Card - Dismantling AmeriCorps, a 30-year-old volunteer service agency, has ignited a firestorm, with Colorado spearheading a lawsuit along with near two-dozen other states, tag-teaming the administration.

The federal lawsuit throws punches at the agency and its interim head, alleging the White House's cost-cutting techniques through the Department of Government Efficiency have, illegal as hell, gutted the agency created by Congress and reneged on grants sanctioned through the AmeriCorps State and National program, pocketing a whopping $557 million this year courtesy of congressional blessings.

The agency overlooks a plethora of programs distributing hundreds of millions to communities nationwide and mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers. Colorado AG Phil Weiser, indignant, declared, "The Trump admin and its merry band of efficiency demons made abrupt and drastic cuts to staff and volunteers and terminated grants. We're suing to prevent this unlawful AmeriCorps evisceration and uphold the spirit of community voluntering."

In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis, unleashing a torrent of words, called AmeriCorps volunteers the backbone of the state, aiding wildfire mitigation, student support, and expanding mental health access.

Last week, Polis slammed wildfire forecasts, announcing the presence of 500 AmeriCorps workers on tap for fire suppression and mitigation work. However, Trump's cuts will supposedly bring an untimely end to the service for nearly 300 AmeriCorps members at more than 200 sites across Colorado, causing havoc in communities.

Attorney General Dianne Primavera warned, "This decision will have catastrophic effects on communities across our state, compromising student support, food and housing assistance, wildfire protection, and neighborly uplifting."

The nationwide fallout isn't any better, with 85% of AmeriCorps staff plunged into administrative limbo this month, according to the lawsuit, and some notified of their dismissals due to a reduction in force.

The AmeriCorps roster encompasses over 500 full-time federal workers and carries an operating budget of approximately $1 billion. Beyond federal employees, it deploys roughly 200,000 corps members across the nation as part of its service programs. Most get a living allowance during their service and acquire funding for future education expenses or student loans.

A specific program, AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps, takes care of basics like accommodation and living expenses for 2,000 youngsters serving a roughly ten-month term. These youngsters work with community organizations and respond to natural disasters. Members were given the cold shoulder this month, table seniority be damned; they were to be dismissed early.

The AmeriCorps State and National grant program distributed more than $177 million in formula-based distributions, in addition to $370 million in competitive grants that assisted nearly 35,000 corps members serving at 300 organizations, according to May announcements.

Friday notices informed grant recipients that their projects were nixed, citing a lack of alignment with the agency's priorities. Corps members would no longer be a part of the program and would cease receiving their stipend. Hundreds of millions in grants to state and territory volunteer commissions are at stake, priming the pump for a community service disaster.

1. The Trump Administration's controversial move to dismantle AmeriCorps, a 30-year-old volunteer service agency, has sparked a lawsuit led by Colorado and nearly two dozen other states.
2. The lawsuit accuses the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency of illegal cost-cutting techniques that have gutted AmeriCorps, an agency created by Congress.
3. AmeriCorps oversees numerous programs that distribute hundreds of millions to communities nationwide and mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers.
4. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has declared the Trump Administration's actions as unlawful AmeriCorps evisceration and is suing to uphold the spirit of community volunteering.
5. In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis has called AmeriCorps volunteers the backbone of the state, aiding in wildfire mitigation, student support, and expanding mental health access.
6. Last week, Polis announced the presence of 500 AmeriCorps workers on tap for fire suppression and mitigation work, but Trump's cuts could end the service for nearly 300 AmeriCorps members in Colorado.
7. The suit claims that 85% of AmeriCorps staff have been plunged into administrative limbo this month, and some have been notified of their dismissals due to a reduction in force.
8. AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps takes care of basics like accommodation and living expenses for 2,000 youngsters serving a ten-month term, working with community organizations and responding to natural disasters.
9. The AmeriCorps State and National grant program distributed over $177 million in formula-based distributions and $370 million in competitive grants, assisting nearly 35,000 corps members serving at 300 organizations.
10. Hundreds of millions in grants to state and territory volunteer commissions are at stake, potentially leading to a community service disaster, as Friday notices informed grant recipients that their projects were nixed, citing a lack of alignment with the agency's priorities.

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