Hey Everyone!

So as you may have heard, the Bush administration has decided to make significant cutbacks in the budget. Medicare, Education, and Americorps are some of the organizations affected.

Because Americorps’ budget has significantly been diminished, the president of Americorps has decided to get rid of Americorps NCCC after this year. As many of you know, this program has opened my eyes and allowed me to experience things that I never would have dreamed of. This program not only fosters the growth of leaders, but is also very beneficial to the communities it serves. It is hard to look at the difference we have made, then been told that we are not cost effective. Especially at a time when our help is so greatly needed here on the gulf coast.

We are doing everything we can down here to try to help Americorps, and there is something you can do as well. The bill to cut the Budget has not yet made it through Congress. If any of you have any political clout, talk to your senators and convince them not to approve these budget cuts. There is a petition you can sign at Americorps.org to help save Americorps and there is another one at Save Americorps.

Thank you!

Love,

Alena

P.S Things are good here (despite the above mentioned). We are working hard and long hours, building houses. We have met incredible people who have shared with us their survival stories. I will share all those with y’all another time, but I am running out of computer time.