The state’s Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve) Director Josh Fryday joined with others on April 29 to announce California’s call for people to join the California Service Corps. Members will earn money, gain valuable work experience and make a difference in their communities.
Service members help communities by working to end hunger, building wildfire resiliency, tutoring and mentoring students to help them succeed, supporting communities impacted by disasters, urban greening and connecting vulnerable people to vital resources and services.
The California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:
#CaliforniansForAll College Corps
California Climate Action Corps
Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce. The federal government provides more than half of the funding for California Climate Action Corps and about five percent of College Corps, while the state fully funds the Youth Service Corps.
In the 2023-24 service year, 6,264 AmeriCorps members in California:
Provided 4,397,674 hours of service;
Tutored/mentored 73,833 students;
Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment;
Planted 39,288 trees;
Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.
The call for new members to join the California Service Corps comes as the current administration and DOGE, the Department Of Government Efficiency, seek to enact severe cuts in the AmeriCorps program nationwide
“Service sits at the very core of who we are as Americans. California is suing the Trump administration to defend thousands of hardworking service members and the communities they serve,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “These actions by President Trump and Elon Musk not only threaten our funding — they vandalize our values. We’re going to fight to stop them.”
“In California, we’re not just defending service — we’re strengthening it,” added Fryday.
California Service Corps members gain skills and experience while connecting with others and making a positive difference. Additionally, service experiences foster a positive sense of connection and belonging. Learn more and join at CAServiceCorps.com.
