Community organizations in Maine are scrambling to respond to nationwide cuts to the AmeriCorps program that have put more than 120 positions here in jeopardy and that could result in a loss of public services.

About two dozen states, including Maine, have joined a federal lawsuit over the dismantling of the federal program after an announcement Friday that it would be canceling nearly $400 million in grants.

“This has an impact on Maine communities and also those AmeriCorps members who answered that call to serve,” said Brittany Gleixner-Hayat, executive director of Volunteer Maine, the state commission that administers federal AmeriCorps funding for several programs in Maine. “This is undermining their ability to do that.”

Volunteer Maine supports eight AmeriCorps programs in Maine that include more than 120 members and receive about $2.5 million in annual funding. There are more than 200 AmeriCorps fellows in Maine total, including programs that receive funding directly from the federal government and not through Volunteer Maine.

Volunteer Maine had 46 members working across the state when it received notice Friday that its grant funding would be terminated. The commission also was scheduled to have more than 70 additional members start work last Tuesday.

Gleixner-Hayat said Thursday that members’ work has now been paused as the state tries to figure out next steps. The federal lawsuit filed in Maryland last week alleges that President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting efforts illegally gutted the agency created by Congress and reneged on grants funded through AmeriCorps.

The lawsuit also asks for a temporary pause on the dismantling of AmeriCorps programs while the case works its way through the court.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that places people with nonprofits, community organizations and public agencies for work in areas including education, health, disaster relief and environmental conservation.

Workers who participate in the programs through Volunteer Maine receive living allowances for housing and food, health insurance coverage and are eligible for an award to cover educational expenses at the end of their service, Gleixner-Hayat said.

The 70 people who were scheduled to start work this week are on hold and those working in Volunteer Maine programs are uncertain about whether they will continue to receive stipends and health insurance.

“They have no clarity about the next steps, and that opportunity for them to serve has been taken away,” Gleixner-Hayat said.

It was not clear on Thursday if all of the more than 200 AmeriCorps members in Maine are affected by the cuts, but a spokesperson for Volunteer Maine said it is aware of two AmeriCorps programs that receive direct federal funding and also received similar termination letters.

An AmeriCorps media contact did not respond Thursday afternoon to questions about the workers in Maine and the impact of the cuts.

‘WE HOPE IT WON’T GO AWAY’

The Maine Resilience Corps at the Greater Portland Council of Governments has 12 AmeriCorps fellows serving in municipal offices, at nonprofits and at regional planning agencies in Cumberland and York counties, working on issues including environmental sustainability, safe drinking water and energy efficiency.

“This is upending the lives of 12 young people, many of whom moved to Maine for the first time and are doing really invaluable work for communities across Maine,” said GPCOG Executive Director Kristina Egan. “We feel like this program is the embodiment of cost efficiency. We have low-cost stipends for very talented people. They come here for a one-year commitment to provide community service for the residents of Maine.”

The GPCOG positions are funded through a mix of AmeriCorps funding, other federal funding and host site fees and member dues from GPCOG, Egan said. She said the regional planning organization is trying to keep its members working through June 30, but the AmeriCorps funds are critical to keeping them on through the end of the year, as they had originally planned.

“Our hope is the Trump administration will reconsider and that our federal delegation will help them reconsider,” she said. “This is really an efficient use of money and the program should continue. We hope it won’t go away, but we depend on federal help for that.”

Ellie Hughes moved to Maine for an AmeriCorps post working on wildfire mitigation and energy issues on Chebeague Island, including helping island residents lower their energy costs. Some of her projects include finding ways to divert wood waste from the town transfer station and organizing a brush cleanup.

“This kind of work is less robust without support from fellows like me,” Hughes said. “The island has historically relied on these fellow positions and it’s going to suffer. Both communities and young people like me will suffer.”

REQUEST TO MAINE DELEGATION

Nearly 50 state lawmakers sent a letter this week to members of Maine’s congressional delegation asking them to work to reinstate AmeriCorps funding.

“These massive funding cuts mean that AmeriCorps members will be forced to exit their programs prematurely or not begin them at all,” Rep. Morgan Rielly, a Westbrook Democrat who spearheaded the letter, said in a written statement Thursday. “Many members will be facing housing, food, health care and other financial emergencies as a result of losing their living stipends. Additionally, our communities will lose the crucial support they rely on from our AmeriCorps members, like help with sustaining local food systems, reducing poverty and supporting substance use prevention and recovery programs.”

A spokesperson for Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said Thursday that King has signed on to a bicameral letter urging Trump to support AmeriCorps. The letter is also signed by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District.

It calls on the administration to reverse the dismissal of young people who work in AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps as well as broader reductions in force across the agency.

“We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combating the fentanyl epidemic, and much more,” the letter said.

Sen. Susan Collins said in a written statement that she has reached out to AmeriCorps for more information.

“The Trump administration has the right to examine ways to streamline services and identify waste, fraud and abuse where it exists, but I am opposed to making sweeping, indiscriminate cuts to AmeriCorps,” Collins said.

A spokesperson for Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, said he also opposes the cuts to AmeriCorps.

“Congressman Golden is a strong supporter of AmeriCorps and highly values the opportunity it gives young people to serve their country. He’s received the Legislature’s letter, and has simultaneously been working with the bipartisan For Country Caucus to address these cuts — something he’s eager to share more about soon.”