APWU 458 President Appointed to Maine Community Service Commission

PHOTO: APWU 458 President Scott Adams

APWU 458 President Scott Adams has been appointed by Governor Janet Mills to fill the labor seat on Volunteer Maine, a state commission that oversees funding for a variety of community service organizations, including AmeriCorps. Adams is one of 25 members who serve on the commission to determine how grants are awarded to various community development groups.

“It’s one of those things where you want labor to have a seat at the table and have some quality input because we have a different perspective than others,” said Adams. “It’s another way to show how unions work in our communities and are not just there for our members. It’s a good group of people who are giving up their time to help the whole process work.”

Founded in 1994 with the mission to “improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement,” AmeriCorps is an independent federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of stipended volunteer work programs. AmeriCorps volunteers work on initiatives to protect the environment, help out in school classrooms, break down barriers to recovery and keep older Mainers company. The program includes AmeriCorps Seniors, which engages older Mainers over 55 in the Foster Grandparent, Senior Campion and RSVP programs.

In addition, Volunteer Maine administers the Maine Climate Corps, which was created to meet the ambitious goals in Maine Won't Wait, the State's Climate Action Plan. The program focuses on eight areas including coastal zones, transportation, energy, housing, land and freshwater preservation, community resilience, education and public health. Adams said he eyeing Volunteer Maine’s Climate Corps subcommittee because of the APWU Maine’s work on the Maine Labor Climate Council to install EV charging stations and put rooftop solar on post offices.

“It makes sense to have labor represented there to focus on the just transition, new union jobs and project labor agreements,” said Adams.

House GOP Proposes to Cut AmeriCorps by Half

Adams said the commission is alarmed by a proposal US House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee to slash AmeriCorps funding by 50 percent, to $660.9 million, the lowest level of funding in 26 years. The cuts would defund thousands of non-profit, community, and faith-based organizations including the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs, City Year, and Habitat for Humanity, which receive AmeriCorps funds. Unlike most federal grant programs, every AmeriCorps dollar is matched by local funds, yielding more than $17 in benefits for every $1 invested by Congress.

“They’ve tried to cut Americorps in the past, but Americorps has been successful and people can see through and see what’s going on,” said Adams.

Congresswoman Pingree, a member of the Appropriations Committee voted against the cuts to AmeriCorps on July 10. According Pingree’s office, the House and Senate will start direct conference negotiations on the budget sometime next fall.