A group of young AmeriCorps members serving in Houston have found themselves stuck in the city \u2014 unable to move on to their next assignment after the ongoing government shutdown halted their pay and travel funds.<\/p>\n
The eight-member team, ages 17 to 26, came to Houston from across the country to work with The Restoration Team, a local nonprofit that helps repair homes for families in need. They were scheduled to travel to Oregon last week for their next project. But when the government shut down, their paychecks and stipends were frozen \u2014 leaving them unable to afford the trip.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were disappointed,\u201d said Trevor Barnett with The Restoration Team. \u201cThey\u2019re stuck here because of the federal government shutdown, and so they\u2019re not able to travel more than 25 miles around Houston.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the setback, the team has chosen to continue volunteering without pay. The Restoration Team has stepped in to help cover housing costs and provide support \u2014 but Barnett says it\u2019s putting extra pressure on staff and resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is putting additional strain on our staff,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are getting a food stipend still, which is great. It\u2019s about $4 a day per person, so we\u2019re helping fill in the gaps with meals and basic supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n
To help keep the group comfortable and engaged while they wait out the shutdown, the nonprofit has reached out to the community for assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made a plea to our audience last week to help provide just basic staples \u2014 toilet paper, paper towels, soap, that sort of thing,\u201d Barnett said. \u201cIf anybody out there wants to help take eight or so young adults to a Texans game or something fun, that would really lift their spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team is expected to remain in Houston until either the shutdown ends or their scheduled winter break on December 14.<\/p>\n
Another AmeriCorps group \u2014 nine members housed by Mosaic in Action in Pearland \u2014 is facing the same challenge. The nonprofits hosting these teams are losing roughly 40 hours of volunteer labor per week due to the disruption.<\/p>\n
AmeriCorps has not yet responded to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
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