Maria Wilkinson is currently a JD student at the University of New Hampshire Law School. She lives in Concord.

In 2015, just four months after graduating from Concord High, I arrived in California to begin a year of service to my country. Not through the military or college, but through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) — a program that would change my life in ways I never expected.

On our first day, we were told something surprising: “You’re not here to help others — you’re here for yourselves.” At first, that felt selfish. But over the next ten months, I came to understand what that meant. Yes, we were serving others — but through that service, we were also learning, growing and transforming ourselves.

I was assigned to the West Coast campus and placed on a team with eleven other young people from all across the country. We lived together, cooked together, worked out together — and most importantly, we served together.

In Montana, we helped build homes with Habitat for Humanity. In California, we spent months clearing brush to reduce wildfire risk. In Utah, we served as camp counselors for individuals with disabilities. On weekends, we volunteered in local communities — cooking Sunday breakfasts at churches, planting trees to prevent erosion, cleaning up community gardens.

We lived on less than $200 a month. We didn’t join AmeriCorps for the money — we joined because we wanted to be part of something bigger than ourselves. I wasn’t ready for college right out of high school. I needed to see more of the world first. AmeriCorps NCCC gave me that chance.

This program taught me what it really means to serve my country — not just through military service or government jobs, but through compassion, manual labor, teamwork and meeting people where they are.

That’s why it’s devastating to see AmeriCorps NCCC being defunded and dismantled. Doing so doesn’t just take away a year of service. It takes away a path of purpose, growth and opportunity for thousands of young Americans.

Cutting AmeriCorps NCCC isn’t a budgetary win. It’s a national loss.

To the young people who won’t be able to finish their year of service, and to those who will never get the chance to start: I’m sorry. You deserve this opportunity. And our country needs programs like this more than ever.

This is the AmeriCorps mission statement: I will get things done for America to make our people safer, smarter and healthier. I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities.

Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground. Faced with adversity, I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond. I am an AmeriCorps member, and I will get things done.