Our History

A Brief History of AmeriCorps

Service is and always has been a vital force in American life. Throughout our history, our nation has relied on the dedication and action of citizens to tackle our biggest challenges. AmeriCorps is a part of a long tradition of service that has included the Civilian Conservation Corps, the GI Bill, the Peace Corps, and the Points of Light Foundation. Following is a brief history of AmeriCorps.

1964
VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is created by the Economic Opportunity Act, giving Americans opportunities to serve full-time to help thousands of low-income communities.

1990
President George Bush signs the National and Community Service Act of 1990. The legislation authorizes grants to schools to support service-learning and demonstration grants for national service programs to youth corps, nonprofits, and colleges and universities.

1992
With strong bipartisan support, the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is established as part of an amendment to the 1992 Defense Appropriations Bill. Building on the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s, the demonstration program is charged with expanding youth service efforts in communities.

September 1993
President Bill Clinton signs the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, creating the Corporation for National Service. VISTA and NCCC become part of the new AmeriCorps. The Corporation is charged with meeting the needs of America's communities through AmeriCorps and its two other programs, Learn and Serve America and the National Senior Service Corps.

September 1994
The first class of AmeriCorps members - 20,000 strong - begin serving in more than 1,000 communities.

1995
A study commissioned by the IBM Foundation, the Charles A. Dana Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation finds that every federal dollar invested in AmeriCorps results in $1.60 to $2.60 or more in direct, measurable benefits to AmeriCorps members and the communities they serve.

April 1997
The Presidents' Summit for America's Future, chaired by General Colin Powell, brings together President Clinton, former Presidents Bush, Ford, and Carter, and Mrs. Reagan to strengthen and expand volunteering and service programs, including AmeriCorps, in meeting the needs of America's youth. The campaign for America's Promise, led by General Powell, is launched to achieve to goals set at the Summit, with AmeriCorps and all the programs of the Corporation for National Service actively engaged.

March 1998
With support from a bipartisan coalition in Congress, the President introduces legislation to reauthorize AmeriCorps and other national service programs into the twenty-first century.

October 1998
The fifth class of AmeriCorps members is sworn in, bringing the total number of current and former members to more than 100,000. A total of 40,000 members will serve in 1998-99.