(Ed. note: This My View was sent on April 23.) 

When it hits home, it becomes personal. It is no longer abstract.

After graduating from college in May 2024, my son applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  Corps, a program under AmeriCorps NCCC designed for young adults aged 18 to 26. This initiative allowed participants to serve alongside FEMA staff, assisting disaster survivors, managing logistics, and providing public assistance. It offered a unique opportunity for young adults to engage with their communities, to make a positive impact, and strengthen civic involvement.

My son was four months into a year-long commitment with the FEMA Corps program in Asheville, NC, when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) abruptly shut down the program on April 15 due to budget cuts that “affected its operational sustainability.” The members were placed on administrative hold and will be formally dismissed on April 30. Despite the late-night announcement, my son was instructed to drive his team on a 10-hour trip to report to headquarters in Vicksburg, MS, the following day, and was flown home 24 hours later.

My son’s involvement with AmeriCorps NCCC began during his junior year in college, when he participated in the Summer of Service program. He was assigned to work with Habitat for Humanity in Pagosa Springs, CO, where he helped build an affordable home for a local family. After long days working in the hot sun, he and his team slept on cots in a local church attic and prepared communal meals with a budget of $4.75 per member per day. They were grateful when food trucks, funded by community organizations, arrived at lunchtime and when church members provided meals in the church community kitchen. This experience fueled his determination to pursue a life of service in whatever form it might take.

In FEMA Corps, he found his community, a group dedicated to making a difference in the world. The program provided young adults with the opportunity to develop valuable skills in leadership, project management and teamwork. As part of the FEMA Corps program, members were invited to participate in specialized hiring events to engage with the agency and interview for positions.

When asked why he wanted to join FEMA Corps, my son explained that it wasn’t about the money—typically, a team leader earns $556.64 every two weeks before taxes. Instead, he sought something greater: an opportunity to gain skills and perspective, with the hope of eventually working for FEMA to serve those in need. 

At home now, my son is taking some time to regroup and make sense of what has happened. In a short time, he has formed lifelong friendships, and they have stayed in touch while navigating their disappointment and anger, I would imagine. However, as an eternal optimist, he is searching for a silver lining amidst it all, finding the ability to view the setback as a new beginning. A path that once seemed clear has now been rerouted.

As a mother, it is heartbreaking to watch my son confront such direct, destructive forces from a government that I believe should uplift us and support our dreams. I feel disappointed in our society and the current administration, which reflects our worst qualities. They have failed our children just as they are stepping into the world as young adults, filled with promise and optimism. However, I believe that my son’s vision for helping those in need is stronger than the negative forces that currently prevail. I am confident that he and his generation will lead us toward a brighter future, although it shouldn’t rest solely on their shoulders. I am committed to fighting harder for what is right and to supporting my neighbors, community and country more than ever before.

Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) have introduced bipartisan bill H.R. 2933 to prohibit the use of funds to eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service. Please support AmeriCorps NCCC by calling your representative to ask them to co-sponsor the bill.

Elisabeth Sinsabaugh lives in North Branch, NY.