I was engaged in a discussion yesterday with a gentleman who argued that private sources, not the government, should be responsible for sustaining non-profit institutions. I saw staff members paying out of pocket for clients medical costs. The grants I wrote will be able to assist the agency long after I have left. And for those critics that see us only as a crutch, projects can only be funded for three years. This limitation forces the agency to develop necessary and needed projects, makes the government happy because it limits waste and abuse, and makes AmeriCorps members happy because they are actively involved in projects that make a difference.
Statistics can never show the real results of changes made at the local level.
Statistics cannot show what those involved have learned and how we have grown because of AmeriCorps. Check this box if you would like this submission to be considered for publication as a letter to the editor in the printed Chronicle. Be sure to include your name and affiliation. Legitimate requests for anonymity will be honored. Submissions may be condensed or edited for clarity.