AmeriCorps Mississippi and the Mississippi Food Network spent Tuesday morning packing food boxes for senior citizens and children.”It’s days like today where we are saying, you know what? Our programs may have been terminated, but we still serve,” said Suzanne Rutherford, the executive director of Volunteer Mississippi.It was a way to celebrate AmeriCorps’ impact of service this year. This comes after the government agency went through a major slashing of funding at the hands of the U-S Department of Government Efficiency in April. “AmeriCorps is an opportunity for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. It’s opportunity for them to volunteer and earn as a stipend, learn a trade possibly and get out be successful,” said Adrain Austin, with Volunteer Mississippi. Video: ‘We’re upset’: Nonprofits respond to DOGE cuts”I’m really heavily focusing my life on the community just in terms of betterment and where I can fit in doing my part,” said Samuel Demby. Samuel Demby is a Jackson native and a member of Refill Jackson Initiative Green Corps, which is a local branch of AmeriCorps. He has dedicated his life to beautifying the city with Refill Jackson, a program now losing out on more than 100 thousand dollars of funding and cutting 14 of its members. “It’s a very difficult situation that we are in right now, so all hands are on deck as far as what we can do to continue serving,” said Demby. “It’s tough 20 years after Katrina, it’s really hard to see that when Gulf Coast communities were rebuilt by the hands of AmeriCorps members,” said Rutherford.Rutherford, who oversees volunteer programs across Mississippi, says AmeriCorps has kept Jackson and many other communities afloat. The Corps’ southern branch of the National Civilian Community Corps, based in Vicksburg, was one of the first programs to be cut. Ruthford says that although 14 programs in Mississippi are being defunded, Volunteer Mississippi will try its best to make sure the needs of communities are being met.”We have some of our programs were terminated in the last round of funding cuts, but these two are still standing strong and finishing out their years of service,” said Rutherford.

AmeriCorps Mississippi and the Mississippi Food Network spent Tuesday morning packing food boxes for senior citizens and children.

“It’s days like today where we are saying, you know what? Our programs may have been terminated, but we still serve,” said Suzanne Rutherford, the executive director of Volunteer Mississippi.

It was a way to celebrate AmeriCorps’ impact of service this year. This comes after the government agency went through a major slashing of funding at the hands of the U-S Department of Government Efficiency in April.

“AmeriCorps is an opportunity for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. It’s opportunity for them to volunteer and earn as a stipend, learn a trade possibly and get out be successful,” said Adrain Austin, with Volunteer Mississippi.

Video: ‘We’re upset’: Nonprofits respond to DOGE cuts

“I’m really heavily focusing my life on the community just in terms of betterment and where I can fit in doing my part,” said Samuel Demby.

Samuel Demby is a Jackson native and a member of Refill Jackson Initiative Green Corps, which is a local branch of AmeriCorps. He has dedicated his life to beautifying the city with Refill Jackson, a program now losing out on more than 100 thousand dollars of funding and cutting 14 of its members.

“It’s a very difficult situation that we are in right now, so all hands are on deck as far as what we can do to continue serving,” said Demby.

“It’s tough 20 years after Katrina, it’s really hard to see that when Gulf Coast communities were rebuilt by the hands of AmeriCorps members,” said Rutherford.

Rutherford, who oversees volunteer programs across Mississippi, says AmeriCorps has kept Jackson and many other communities afloat. The Corps’ southern branch of the National Civilian Community Corps, based in Vicksburg, was one of the first programs to be cut.

Ruthford says that although 14 programs in Mississippi are being defunded, Volunteer Mississippi will try its best to make sure the needs of communities are being met.

“We have some of our programs were terminated in the last round of funding cuts, but these two are still standing strong and finishing out their years of service,” said Rutherford.

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