DOGE cuts could spell end of Killeen Creators nonprofit, board chair says
By Kevin Limiti
Killeen Creators, a community nonprofit that operates a community garden, art therapy and other programs, is under threat due to potential cuts on the federal level of AmeriCorps by DOGE.
DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, has been cutting programs without congressional approval. The department recently put leaders of AmeriCorps on administrative leave while it looks into cuts, according to Politico.
Kristin Wright, co-founder and board chair of Killeen Creators, told the Herald on Friday that the cuts made by DOGE may cause Killeen Creators to shut down operations.
"If (the cuts) go through and we have to let go of our AmeriCorps real quickly without any planning, it could be the end of Killeen Creators and our programs," Wright said.
She explained that Killeen Creators relies very heavily on volunteers for AmeriCorps, which is essentially the domestic Peace Corps.
Killeen Creators currently has 10 volunteers who work between 10 and 26 hours. They maintain community gardens as well as the Recovery Clubhouse, which is a program that gives relief to those suffering from addiction and mental health issues.
A lot of these programs support veterans, Wright said, and the AmeriCorps volunteers are reliably able to work with support groups for up to 26 hours per week.
"Without them, we won't be able to deliver either set of services, including one of the programs that we have a grant for," Wright said, explaining that the grant covers rent, marketing and outreach material, but not salaries.
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