AmeriCorps: One Million Turned Away

In 2011, AmeriCorps received a whopping 582,000 applications for just 82,000 positions. This is up from 536,000 in 2010 for 85,000 spots. That means that over two years, nearly 1 million applications have been turned away.

These numbers are truly staggering, and they confirm the fact that Americans have a deep-routed desire to help overcome the challenges facing our nation through the power of service.

We created a great graphic to show how this incredible passion to serve compares to the number of positions available.

AmericCorps Application Numbers

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While interest in AmeriCorps is enormous, actual opportunities have decreased due to Congressional budget cuts.

When the bipartisan Kennedy Serve America Act passed in 2009, it set out a path to increase AmeriCorps to 250,000 annual members by 2017. But the law only authorized the expansion -- it did not guarantee funding, and for the past two years, Congress has decreased funding.

If not for your efforts to fight back, the decrease would have been much worse.

While it’s frustrating to see so many turned away, the outpouring of passion to serve is motivating. It’s a powerful reminder that we must keep fighting to expand service opportunities. We can change these numbers if we send a loud and clear message to Congress: Americans want to serve and it’s time for you to deliver. But first we need to make sure people are aware of the situation. Please help us spread the word by using the SHARE link above to post to your friends and family via your social networks.

 

Articles discussing the number of AmeriCorps members serving and threats to funding.

 

Sources for the AmeriCorps Applications Numbers Skyrocket Infographic