Partnerships for Student Achievement

05/20/2025

💔 A Farewell to PSA AmeriCorps 💔

It is with deep sadness that I share this news. Late in the evening on Friday, April 25th, I was notified by Oregon Serves, our state commission, that our awarded grant agreement for the 2024–2025 service year was terminated by AmeriCorps — effective immediately. This decision was part of a nationwide cut, impacting nearly $400 million in grant funding and countless programs across the country.

Since 1997, the Partnerships for Student Achievement (PSA) AmeriCorps program has placed more than 470 incredible members in schools across Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Banks, Sherwood, Newberg, and Tigard-Tualatin. Each year, our teams have supported students with tutoring in math and literacy, led vibrant after-school programs, managed volunteers, and built meaningful relationships with families and school communities.

For the past 28 years, this program has been the heart of my work — and truly, a second family. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated AmeriCorps members who poured their hearts into their service. Their kindness, strength, and commitment changed lives — mine included.

It’s hard to put into words what this loss means. So many of you have given your time, energy, and love to help students succeed. You’ve believed in the mission, in each other, and in the power of service. And you’ve made a difference — a real one.

Thank you to every member, school partner, and supporter who’s been a part of this journey. You have made PSA AmeriCorps what it is — and your impact will carry on long after this chapter closes.

This may be the end of the program, but it’s not the end of the story. Once a PSA member, always a PSA member. 💙

In service,
Jeri

05/01/2025

https://voicesforservice.org/take-action/contact-congress/?emci=a7b22c28-ee25-f011-8b3d-6045bded8cca&emdi=542817b7-fd25-f011-8b3d-6045bded8cca&ceid=13324030

Apr 23, 2025Apr 23, 2025National Service in the News AmeriCorps shaped these lawmakers’ careers. They’re fighting to save it. Read More »

04/18/2025

For decades, AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers have responded to our country's most immediate and critical needs. They are the “people power” that local nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations rely on to deliver services and make a difference in local communities. While helping others, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers experience a decrease in isolation and loneliness, and AmeriCorps members gain in-demand job skills and complete their service with increased employability and pathways to higher education, preparing them to succeed in the workforce.

Now, the Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are taking steps that indicate a desire to dismantle AmeriCorps. By placing a large number of agency staff on administrative leave, AmeriCorps program operations, member enrollment and deployment, and grant disbursement could slow to a halt. The Administration has also issued stop work orders to AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps members. These actions effectively terminate critical resources that communities across all 50 states have depended on for three decades.

AmeriCorps funds respond to local needs and are largely administered by states, not the federal government, to keep state and local priorities front and center. At a time when states are experiencing significant natural disasters, increasing costs stemming from increased social service needs, workforce gaps, and more, AmeriCorps delivers urgently needed resources to support communities across the country.

We need your help.

Use our sample social media below to share our easy email congress tool. You will also find our call script and instructions for calling your members of congress. Let's flood their phone lines with the positive impacts of AmeriCorps.

Be sure to also send an email to your lawmakers: https://voicesforservice.org/take-action/contact-congress/.

This is an unprecedented moment and we need everyone to take action to contact their members of congress.

03/10/2025

12/07/2024

Well that was fun (cold and wet)