A popular service organization aimed at giving young people hands-on experience in their community and money for college is in financial trouble.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that helps recruit members to volunteer in their communities. In exchange for their service, members receive a living allowance and an education award to help pay for college or pay back student loans.

AmeriCorps needs $65 million for all its programs to run at full capacity, said Tina Dunphy, state program officer for the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. AmeriCorps receives funding from the federal government.

Dunphy said AmeriCorps programs are in trouble all across the country, and programs here in Iowa are feeling the crunch of the funding problems. With the 2003 federal budget not yet approved, AmeriCorps programs are running on its fiscal funding from last year.

Due to the lack of funding, there has been a hiring freeze in the program since November of last year, Dunphy said.

“In Iowa we have about 300 spots award and we have only filled 100,” Dunphy said.

Dunphy said the freeze is deterring students from participating.

“A lot of programs have potential members ready to enroll, but they can’t because of the freeze,” she said.

Kelli Tallman, program director of the Governor’s AmeriCorps After-school Initiative, said students all across Iowa are involved in AmeriCorps and are affected by the lack of funding.

“Many members are college students who enroll in AmeriCorps to gain hands-on experience in their professional field,” Tallman said.

“Many students rely on that experience and the [education award] to help them attend college.”

JanaLee Croce, a member of AmeriCorps, said her experiences in the organization were invaluable.

“It’s helped me realize what I want to do,” Croce said. “I know that I want to work with kids because of my involvement in tutoring and after-school programs through AmeriCorps.”

Croce said that she is going to enroll at a college in the fall because of her education award.

“I’ll have close to $10,000 for college. I am really excited to go,” she said.

Dunphy said AmeriCorps is looking at ways to supplement its funding, in case Congress does not allocate it the $65 million needed to fund its programs.

“If the budget is not approved soon, member enrollment freezes will remain in effect. No new members will be allowed and the programs will suffer,” Dunphy said.