Northwest Service Academy at work
NWSA's AmeriCorps program, which has supported hundreds of local environmental efforts, now fights to survive.
OEC regrets that the Northwest Service Academy (NWSA) faces closing its doors after 16 years. When you see OEC at the Fix-It Fair, Muddy Boots Festival or farmer’s market in your neighborhood, you see NWSA at work.
OEC’s outreach volunteer program was built by NWSA, one of the largest and most successful AmeriCorps service programs in the nation. Sadly, NWSA was denied funding for its AmeriCorps program over the next three years.
It is a painful loss for the 75 organizations that were depending upon AmeriCorps service next year to address local environmental needs. While NWSA explores the reasons behind this funding cut, we reflect on the important role Americorps and NWSA have served over the last 16 years.
NWSA’s Americorps members have engaged more than 36,000 community volunteers, educated 97,000 students, and cared for hundreds of miles of public trails and green spaces in Oregon and Washington.
AmeriCorps members created OEC's anti-idling kit for students to improve air quality around schools, built a volunteer program that brings OEC’s green tips to community fairs, and coordinated all the volunteers that help OEC stay true to our tag line: It’s Your Oregon.
We haven’t given up hope that the Corporation for National and Community Service will reconsider funding NWSA. If you’d like to show support, you can sign this petition to save NWSA and become a Facebook fan of "save NWSA."
