"Aspire has been in the Arlington community for 30 years. Our students and families can't afford tutors, camps, after-school programs, babysitters. Without this program, we know that a third of our students are going to be left behind. And I don't think enough of us understand what that means when you really focus on the names and the faces. And that's just heartbreaking." - Aspire Afterschool Learning Executive Director Paula Fynboh. There are countless stories just like this about the tragic impact of AmeriCorps cuts in education and many other crucial community programs. Please continue sharing your stories with others, and with us, to further the legacy of the work these programs do. ✏️: bit.ly/3EnXW29 (fb)

Last week, Literacy Minnesota’s Director of National Service Jesse Chang joined Executive Director Brooke Rivers of Reading Partners Minnesota to sit down with MPR News host Angela Davis and discussed the vital role AmeriCorps had in supporting Minnesota communities — and what was at stake as federal budget cuts put the program’s future in jeopardy. Listeners heard how, for over 30 years, AmeriCorps members tutored students, supported schools and strengthened neighborhoods — and why the potential loss mattered so deeply. 🎧: bit.ly/3RZunHi Photo by MPR News #AmeriCorps (fb)