AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of stipended volunteer work programs in many sectors. These programs include AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering." It was created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. In September 2020, the agency rebranded itself as AmeriCorps, although its official name is unchanged.
Volunteers from AmeriCorps in Mississippi
Image: Harris Wofford
Image: Nicky Goren (cropped)
Image: Patrick Corvington (cropped)
National Civilian Community Corps
The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), or AmeriCorps NCCC, is an AmeriCorps program founded in 1993 that engages 18- to 26-year-olds in team-based, residential community service projects across the United States. Each year, approximately 2,200 individuals representative of all colors, creeds, states, and economic statuses are chosen to serve in one of four regions covering all 50 states and five territories.
An AmeriCorps NCCC team on deployment in 2024 at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in California.
Example of an AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps Team