As a Teach For America (TFA) alum who started my teaching journey in Atlanta, Georgia, I vividly remember the experience the AmeriCorps Education award afforded me 13 years ago. Without it, I would have never been able to become a teacher. More than a decade later, I remain passionate about expanding educational opportunities for all students.

I have chosen to stay in the field, serving the place where I first started, but in a different capacity. Now, I have transitioned from the classroom to a role that enables me to impact our support systems and continuous learning cycles for 240 TFA corps members and over 2,100 program alumni.

More than 9,000 Teach For America alumni who have benefited from the education award identify as Black.

My path to the classroom was a pivot from a focus on business administration at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

I was a proud rattler — I had the world in front of me and was well prepared to take on the corporate world. Then, another opportunity was presented to me: national service. I would be able to provide students, who looked like me and faced the same challenges I did, with a rigorous academic experience and a glimpse of hope as a teacher. I knew I could accept the call to serve because I was offered the AmeriCorps Education Award to offset some financial hurdles, which was critical since, at the time, I was facing my own student loan debt and both of my parents were in college, managing the high costs of their education.

The Costs associated with becoming a teacher

Most people are unaware of the costs associated with becoming a teacher, including training, certification and professional development. That can easily exceed $20,000. It is an impediment to building a sustainable education workforce that we do not discuss often enough. In my current role, I hear from teachers often who identify it as one of their main issues with job satisfaction. Many of our new teachers would not be able to choose this work without the financial support of AmeriCorps’ Education Award.

AmeriCorps is a vital engine for progress across our nation, especially for educators entering the profession. The recent decision to eliminate $400 million in AmeriCorps funding is a setback that will ripple across our nation’s infrastructure, from disaster relief to education, in very disparate ways.

A lifeline for students and the profession

For organizations like Teach For America, AmeriCorps funding is essential to sustaining the pipeline for thousands of passionate, capable individuals who enter classrooms where the need is greatest. In a nation grappling with chronic teacher shortages, particularly in high-need communities, this funding is a lifeline for students and for the future of the profession. Those interested in this profession may not view it as a sustainable career path. The last thing you want to hear as a prospective new teacher is that you will have fewer financial resources, especially when you come from a low-income background, like 60% of TFA corps members.

For Black educators, that support is even more crucial when you add a higher average burden of student loan debt. More than 9,000 Teach For America alumni who have benefited from the education award identify as Black.

They have and continue to lead classrooms across the country, serving more than 294,000 students in 1,700 schools in partnership with 350 school districts and communities. They have had a consistent and significant impact on students’ learning over three decades. And we need more.

The program empowers our communities to lead on the issues that matter most to them.

At a broader level, AmeriCorps serves as a powerful gateway to public service, especially for younger generations, who have been very clear: They want to make a sizable impact, not just leave a footprint. And AmeriCorps offers an entry point while uplifting communities and strengthening our civic fabric.

Every dollar invested in AmeriCorps returns $17 in economic value. That is a cost-effective force for economic and social good. The program empowers our communities to lead on the issues that matter most to them.

Cutting AmeriCorps undermines our ability to solve problems together. If we care about the future of education and civic leadership, we must protect and expand opportunities for national service.

Gloria Brown is the senior managing director, chief of staff with Teach For America Metro Atlanta, where she serves as a proud alumna.