Unexpected matching gift spurs campaign to ‘reinstate’ AmeriCorps members after funding cuts
By Tom French
The Wild Center in Tupper Lake has “reinstated” its eight AmeriCorps members as employees, after funding for the program was cut by the Trump administration.
In late April, all AmeriCorps participants in New York state were notified that the program had been suspended..
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Within 24 hours of the announcement, an anonymous donor offered $36,000, half the amount needed to cover the program costs for The Wild Center. All eight AmeriCorps members will be able to continue to work through Aug. 8, the original end date for their term.
“The donor heard about the cut and offered us a matching gift,” said Hillarie Logan-Dechene, deputy director of The Wild Center.
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The Wild Center met the challenge within 10 days mostly from word of mouth, social media posts, and local news coverage.
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The entire staff also contributed. “They were throwing cash on our desks. It was like that scene from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’”
The Wild Center first partnered with the AmeriCorps program in 2023.
“What was great about AmeriCorps was these people were able to commit to 11 months. We could train them and keep them rather than have them go off and do something else after three or four months,” said Logan-Dechene.
The AmeriCorps program also allowed the Wild Center to increase the number of participants from four to up to 10, who do work in the Tupper Lake community.
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“We were able to do what we’d always aspired to do – work more deeply in the schools, the library, the art center, the food pantry, things like that. With four, we didn’t have the capacity to do that.”
Work within the Tupper Lake community
The Wild Center’s AmeriCorps members work with over a dozen community programs between the school, Golf-Nelson Memorial Library, Tupper Arts, and the Town of Tupper Lake Youth Activities and Recreation Department.
Members assisted with the Harry Potter Book Club and Tupper Teens After School Program. They provided supervision and activities for children while parents participated at the Family Matters Resource Center. They also engaged adults and seniors with art classes, coached for the Little Ballers Basketball program, and helped at the Tupper Lake Community Food Pantry.
Logan-Dechene expressed concern for the many beneficiaries of the programs. “It was fulfilling identified needs for a lot of students in the community, students that really can benefit from extra programs focused on reading skills or organized sports or the many benefits of just getting outside.”
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Twenty-four states are suing the Trump administration in federal court over the cuts, arguing that the program was established and monies appropriated by Congress. But Wild Center Executive Director Stephanie Ratcliffe is concerned that, in the meantime, New York will be “challenged to backfill what the federal government had invested in AmeriCorps.”
The New York State Commission on National and Community Service oversees AmeriCorps in New York.
Keeping the programs going during the gap
The Wild Center’s AmeriCorps members also stepped up to fill the gap in the interim. When initially informed of their terminations, their first concern was to their work.
“After we told them, they said, ‘We’ve got the Ahmad Butler virtual tour tomorrow. We’ve been working on this for weeks. We’re their first field trip to a museum. Can we come in tomorrow and work on that?’” Logan-Dechene said.
The Ahmad Butler Foundation supports families battling pediatric cancer and other childhood diseases.
“I said, ‘You can’t work tomorrow.’ Michael (Rooney) asked, ‘Can we volunteer?”
“Then Jessica (Thomas) said, ‘I’m supposed to do a snake program on Friday for the public. Can I do that? Can I volunteer?’ There was no bellyaching. It was amazing.”
Ongoing fundraising efforts
The Wild Center is exploring ways to continue the program beyond August without federal support, though financing will be difficult.
“We have to retool,” Ratcliffe added. “That’s why the fundraising is continuing.”
Ratcliffe is hoping for enough donors to sustain this program. This year’s costs are $380,928, with the federal government funding $286,974, and the balance paid by the Wild Center.
“It’s not an extravagant program from the federal government,” Ratcliffe said. “And it’s adult education too. We are preparing these kids just out of college. We are very proud of what we’re doing for each one of these members to send them on their way. Careerwise, it’s a perfect first job.”
Photo at top: Members of The Wild Center’s AmeriCorps program and staff gather with Linda Cohen, executive director of the New York State Commission on National and Community Service and Michael Cashman, appointed chair of NYS Commission/AmeriCorps and Town of Plattsburgh supervisor in front of Hopscotch, a stickwork sculpture by Patrick Dougherty.
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