US federal community service program staff placed on leave, faces funding cut

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - Staff at AmeriCorps, a US federal community service program, were placed on administrative leave nationwide by the Trump administration on Wednesday.

Employees were informed via a memo from Interim Director Jennifer Bastress Tahmasebi that they were being placed on immediate leave, according to POLITICO.

Staff members stated that hundreds were placed on leave, threatening the agency’s partnerships with nonprofits nationwide, with only a few senior officials and program heads still active.

The move appeared to be part of US President Donald Trump’s broader push to reduce the size of the federal government -- a downsizing effort spearheaded by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who heads the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

On Tuesday, six volunteers from the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program were abruptly sent home after a week of service due to funding cuts, despite working on projects like planting trees and building a retaining wall at a local refuge.

Almost half of 600 employees of AmeriCorps accepted the administration's deferred resignations, and earlier this week, 1,500 NCCC volunteers were let go, impacting disaster relief and other services nationwide.

The cuts will impact programs like Senior Companions, which aids elderly individuals, and Foster Grandparents, which pairs retirees with children with special needs.