Editor’s note: Federal Fallout is a Tribune-Democrat news series addressing the potential local impact of funding cuts.
Since its inception 12 years ago, the Cambria County Backpack Project has partnered with AmeriCorps to meet the mission of serving food-insecure children throughout the area, Executive Director Kristen Villarrial said.
An AmeriCorps member from the local Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps served as the nonprofit’s coordinator for years. When funding was secured for a permanent position, the county food program immediately partnered with the service organization again for continued assistance.
“AmeriCorps has been really a crucial part of the backpack project,” Villarrial said.
Federal Fallout logo
Despite three decades of assistance throughout the nation, AmeriCorps’ future is in jeopardy since President Donald Trump’s administration, through the Department of Government Efficiency, eliminated this year’s contracts at the end of April.
“It was an abrupt and unforeseen mid-award termination of the PA Mountain Service Corps AmeriCorps grant,” PMSC AmeriCorps Program Director Jill Latuch said. “We are hopeful that the courts will intervene; Pennsylvania, along with many other states, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction.
“We appreciate our AmeriCorps members and community host sites for their dedication during these challenging times. Our PMSC members have been addressing critical needs within our communities for 30 years.”
She said the regional group has 77 members serving 47 schools, 10 community wellness sites and 20 environmental stewardship locations.
Villarrial said without AmeriCorps’ help, the backpack project likely wouldn’t exist.
AmeriCorps members, who receive a “modest stipend” for their service, join groups in hour-based roles to help in a variety of areas – such as education, disaster, and environmental sites.
More than 200,000 members served in those areas throughout the country in 2025, according to the federally-funded organization.
There are 56 community host sites that are affected by the termination of PMSC this program year.
Additionally, there were 12 more members scheduled to start May 23 and serve throughout the summer.
At this time, the local chapter will not be onboarding them, Latuch said.
‘Sudden termination’
According to a statement from America’s Service Commission, the “sudden termination” may “shutter more than 1,000 programs and prematurely end the service of over 32,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers.”
“Terminating nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants with no advanced notice is already having a detrimental impact on the vast network that makes up the national service field in the United States,” ASC CEO Kaira Esgate said in the statement.
“Thousands of people who have steadfastly dedicated their lives to serving their country through AmeriCorps are finding their livelihoods suddenly thrown into jeopardy, and hundreds of communities are losing critical services they rely on.”
Villarrial said she and her team are “shocked, worried (and) frustrated” by the situation.
“We’ve been able to empower these members to serve these communities while addressing undeserved (populations),” she said. “To be honest, we don’t know how we’ll be able to replace the position if AmeriCorps funding isn’t available, or AmeriCorps isn’t there anymore.”
One potential silver lining is it seems the members are allowed to serve out their terms for now, Villarrial noted.
The backpack project serves 700 youth weekly with a team of three that includes AmeriCorps member Senda Harvey, and numerous volunteers.
‘Continuation of my service’
During the 2023-24 term, the group distributed nearly 87,000 meals to families in almost every school district in Cambria County. Last year, the nonprofit opened a second packing and distribution site in Ebensburg Borough to make access easier for those in the county’s northern area.
AmeriCorps service
Cambria County Backpack Project volunteer Amanda Regala (left) takes a collapsed box from AmeriCorps member and northern site Coordinator Senda Harvey during a distribution event Thursday, May 8, 2025.
That location is run by Harvey, who is in her first term with AmeriCorps, and said she adores the position.
“This project I’m in right now with AmeriCorps is my heart,” she said.
The Ohio native moved to the Johnstown area three years ago while working for Department of Veterans Affairs and seeking to help a family member.
A U.S. Army veteran of 10 years and former teacher, she said she’s always wanted to be a service person, and when she retired from the VA joining AmeriCorps made perfect sense.
“To me, this is just a continuation of my service to the community,” Harvey said.
Finding out the future of the program is in jeopardy was “very disheartening,” Harvey said, but she’s still hopeful the situation will be resolved positively for the project.
“In my core, I believe we will be OK,” she said.
“If there’s another term, I want to continue serving with AmeriCorps and the backpack project.”
‘Initiatives in jeopardy’
One potential route for reinstating the program is the multi-state lawsuit.
“AmeriCorps members serve their fellow Pennsylvanians every day – and the federal government entered into a contract with our commonwealth to hire them for disaster response, veterans services, tutoring for kids, and more,” Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote in a May 1 Facebook post.
“By dismantling AmeriCorps, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract and putting those critical initiatives in jeopardy.
“I’m suing to hold them to their word and defend Pennsylvania’s rights – and stand up for our seniors, veterans, and students.”
The lawsuit alleges that “the administration does not have unilateral power to cut or end the AmeriCorps grants and service programs and that doing so would unlawfully deprive communities of critical services and opportunities provided through AmeriCorps, including education access, housing support, and youth mentorship,” according to Democracy Forward – one group that represents the plaintiffs.
AmeriCorps’ roots can be traced from the Civilian Conservation Corps to the VISTA program and the Commission on National and Community Service.
‘Hardest pill to swallow’
In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the National Community Service Trust Act that officially created AmeriCorps – to combine “the concepts of volunteerism, civilian service, and education benefits for service” and built on former President George H.W. Bush’s commission on service.
The Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps was organized the following year to serve Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties with Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 as the administering agency.
“Since its inception, there have been hundreds of students tutored in math and reading, thousands of seniors and families provided with services that would have otherwise gone undone, hundreds of after school and educational activities presented to at-risk youths, hundreds of miles of water tested and cleaned up, thousands of volunteer hours generated and a unique collaborative effort of community organizations formed,” according to PMSC information.
Villarrial said if AmeriCorps can no longer serve the backpack project, the board of directors will have to develop a contingency plan, which is already being discussed.
That may include hiring another coordinator. That outcome would negatively impact the group’s finances and possibly result in fewer children being served, she said.
“That’s the hardest pill to swallow,” Villarrial said. “The hardest hit are the ones who need it.”
Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.