Upstate Trail Corps

UGATA’s Upstate Trail Corps is part of the national AmeriCorps network of volunteers who commit to a year of service to their communities.  Since August 2023, the Upstate Trail Corps has built more than 12 miles of new trails across five Upstate counties and re-opened more than 50 miles of trails damaged by Hurricane Helene (click here for examples). Our Upstate Trail Corps members are dedicated young people improving our community in tangible and lasting ways!

For their year of service, Upstate Trail Corps members receive an education award from AmeriCorps, and UGATA receives federal grant funds that cover approximately half our members' modest salaries. Unfortunately, with the recent and sudden nationwide cuts to AmeriCorps, our Trail Corps members (like thousands of other AmeriCorps members around the country) have been told that, effective immediately, they are no longer AmeriCorps members.  Essentially, they have been fired without cause, notice, pay or the fulfilling of their contracts. In addition, UGATA will no longer receive federal grant funds to support the program.

However, UGATA and our community are resilient and compassionate.  Not only do we have more trails to build, but we will take care of the young people who have given so much to our community.  UGATA is committing to take care of our four Upstate Trail Corps members by hiring them through the remainder of their term of service (July 2025) AS WELL AS supplementing the education awards they were promised when they signed up.  However, we really need your help.  Your generous donation will not only help these Trails Corps members continue to build trails here in the Upstate but also show them that the community they have served so well appreciates them and will take care of them.

We are so grateful for our alliance and for you as we endeavor to do the right thing.  Moving beyond this summer, we are identifying alternative models using volunteers and staff to continue building and improving trails across the Upstate. Stay tuned for more news and ways to get involved. In the meantime, we sincerely appreciate your generosity in helping our Trail Corps continue doing their incredible work!