In late April, Breakthrough Atlanta received word that we would no longer receive our AmeriCorps funding. That means a loss of $355,000 for college students – Teaching Fellows – in our summer programs. This happened just days after they were notified of their acceptance and just weeks before summer programming begins.
This is part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE’s) termination of roughly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants impacting 32,000 members and more than 1,000 community organizations nationwide. Nonprofits like ours – and all we serve – are now navigating the fallout.
Breakthrough has had to cut our six-week summer program down to five, meaning one less week of instruction and engagement.
Our Teaching Fellows have lost their anticipated income from the AmeriCorps Education Award, which helps them pay tuition, room and board, and continue their education. Separate service stipends will no longer be paid by AmeriCorps. Without stipends, many of these fellows will not be able to afford the opportunity. AmeriCorps funding allows us to invest in the young people shaping the future of our communities.
This summer, college students, who were originally selected to become AmeriCorps members, are slated to serve hundreds of students, ensuring that:
- 296+ middle schoolers grow their math and literacy skills on our summer learning program to be on a college preparatory track in high school.
- High schoolers, most of whom will be the first in their families to earn bachelor’s degrees, receive the personalized advising and financial aid coaching necessary to be admitted to, pay for and graduate from college. This includes 43+ rising sophomores in the summer leadership institute and 13+ graduating seniors in the college transition bootcamp.
- 70 college students gain coveted training, coaching and hands-on experience in teaching that will propel their careers.
Breakthrough Atlanta is rallying to meet this moment, but we cannot do it alone. We are planning for how to continue delivering excellence if Teaching Fellows opt out due to losing this funding. This means turning to other sources of funding, primarily, private donations and philanthropy.
Here’s how you can help:
- Support Breakthrough with a financial contribution. It is an investment in a stronger, more resilient future.
- A gift of $6,000 can support one Teaching Fellow’s summer experience, impacting 21 young lives.
- A gift of $2,000 can ensure dozens more high school students get the guidance they need to make college a reality.
- Email your Members of Congress in less than two minutes using this tool from our partners at Voices for National Service.
- Call your lawmakers using a simple script from Voices for National Services.
We appreciate all that our supporters do for our scholars!
Read more about the impact on education, the teacher shortage, and community service in our opinion piece in the AJC.