Thousands of college students across the country impacted by the sudden cancellation of AmeriCorps grants.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When a Sunday evening email abruptly ended her job, Miessah Sagun not only lost her position tutoring local Sacramento area elementary school students but also lost the scholarship she was depending on to stay in college.
“The thing I was relying on to pay for my education is now, I don’t know what to do,” Sagun said, a freshman at Sacramento State and former AmeriCorps member.
Sagun was among thousands of college students across the country impacted by the sudden cancelation of AmeriCorps grants, a move that eliminated funding for more than 1,000 service programs nationwide. The cuts left approximately 30,000 AmeriCorps members out of work, according to America’s Service Commissions, the organization overseeing state service programs.
“It almost felt like we were being pushed aside, that we were not being cared for just as human beings,” Sagun said.
Jean Carlos Carias, a senior who also served as a tutor, shared similar concerns about the students left behind.
“You are essentially taking away people’s mentors and friends and somebody they might remember for the rest of their lives,” he said.
In Sacramento, the fallout has hit Breakthrough Sacramento especially hard. The education nonprofit provides free, year-round college preparation support to over 200 underserved students. With the loss of more than $100,000 in federal AmeriCorps funding, the organization was forced to lay off its 12 student tutors immediately.
“It was over. No appeals available,” said Faith Galatti, executive director of Breakthrough Sacramento. “What we are hearing from them (students) today is: ‘Where’s my teacher? Where’s my tutor?’”
The impact goes beyond staffing challenges. For students in the program, many of whom are the first in their families to consider college, the tutors represent stability and mentorship.
“I am planting something into the youth now,” said Jasmine Visitacion, a former student who became a tutor through the program. “They will remember what I taught them and bring it to their kids.”
Galatti said her organization is determined to continue its mission despite the funding loss.
“We are not going to let children down, but it is going to be hard for the community and the students that we serve,” she said.
Breakthrough Sacramento plans to rehire some tutors as part-time staff to finish out the current academic year. The group also aims to hire 34 tutors for its summer programs as it seeks alternative funding sources.
California Volunteers, a state agency under the Governor’s Office, confirmed it was also affected by the AmeriCorps grant cancellations. The agency told ABC10 it is working with the Governor’s Office to challenge what it described as “illegal actions” and to protect its service programs.
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