Work continues in the mountains after withheld federal funds are released

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson says that the western part of the state will get recovery money after the federal funds were withheld from North Carolina and other states.

AmeriCorps, an independent federal agency for volunteerism and national service, released the state’s portion of the $184 million to fund the program.

Yesterday’s ruling to release the funds comes after Jackson joined 22 other attorneys general to sue over the frozen AmeriCorps funding. Congress appropriated the funds, the states argued, and could not be withheld.

“The federal government knew that it would lose against us in court because it had no right to cut funds for AmeriCorps that Congress had already authorized,” Jackson said. 

“This money belongs to North Carolina and is crucial for western North Carolina’s recovery. I’m deeply grateful for the AmeriCorps members on the ground who can keep helping our communities rebuild after Helene,” he said.

Dozens of people can continue working in the mountains now that the funds have been restored.

Programs in North Carolina that can now continue include, according to a news release from the state Attorney General:

• Project MARS (Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC): employs 45 people who served 18 western North Carolina counties after Hurricane Helene by delivering supplies and meals to homebound and stranded families, distributing food and clothing, assisting shelters and crisis hotlines and supporting schools as they reopened.
• Project Conserve: employs 25 people who partnered with local organizations in 25 western North Carolina counties after Hurricane Helene to perform debris removal, tree replanting, storm-system repairs and rain-barrel distribution.
• Project POWER: employs 14 people who assisted more than 10,500 people affected by disasters in Buncombe, Henderson and Madison counties by coordinating large-scale food donations, setting up distribution sites, conducting wellness checks and managing cleanup efforts.
• Programs that provide literacy services, community gardens, support for future teachers in rural communities, mental health support for students and food and grocery distribution.