The 2025-26 member living allowance for the 48-week term of service will be approximately $20,000.00.
The MCC payroll office will issue biweekly checks in the pre-tax amount of approximately $833.33.
Because the living allowance is taxable, the net amount each member receives will depend on that individual's withholding.
AmeriCorps members may be eligible to postpone the repayment of their qualified student loans while they are in an approved national service position like Rochester AmeriCorps. This postponement - called National Service Forbearance - applies to repayment of both the principal and the interest. In order to have a loan placed in forbearance, the AmeriCorps member (the borrower) must request it of their loan holder (generally, the lender or loan servicer). In the forbearance process, the role of the National Service Trust is to verify that the individual is in an approved national service position. The holder of the loan has the ability to grant a forbearance.
If the loans are in default, there is no requirement for the loan holder to place the loans in forbearance.
Individual health care insurance is provided for members who are not otherwise covered at the time of enrollment or who, by joining the program, lose their previous coverage. Our accident and sickness insurance is a plan especially for corps members. The coverage includes a $180 annual deductible (no deductible for preventive care) and covers the following services:
Many of our members qualify for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, or ACA at no cost.
A child care subsidy, paid directly to the child care provider, is available to members who qualify. This allowance is distributed evenly over the term of service on a monthly basis. Members are responsible for locating their own child care providers.
To receive AmeriCorps Child Care benefits, participants must satisfy ALL of the following requirements:
Types of providers include:
Member development is a major emphasis of Rochester AmeriCorps. Members receive training prior to service and throughout their 48.5-week term that will inform and strengthen their service ethic. The trainings include activities and approaches that contribute to members' growth and development during their AmeriCorps enrollment. The primary way Rochester AmeriCorps addresses its member development objectives is through training activities.
All members participate in an initial orientation and training program at the beginning of their term of service. The program is conducted daily from approximately 8:30am until 4:30pm for the first seven days of enrollment. This time counts toward the minimum 1,700 hours that each member must complete in order to earn an education award.
Sessions emphasize team building and communication activities; program-related content on youth development, trauma-informed care, and working in culturally diverse classrooms; the details of program operation and procedures; the community context of service, including school district programs and initiatives; and areas such as leadership development and self-care.
Consistent attendance and active participation are required. The program reserves the right to dismiss any member who fails to meet this requirement.
A number of pre-scheduled Member Development Days will be held over the course of the program year. Each day will include reflection and training sessions that link members' service experiences to personal and professional learning. Members must fulfill all the requirements of these sessions in order to successfully complete their term of service and qualify for their education award.
Members are expected to participate in additional member activities such as service projects, a member retreat, and special events such as the state-wide AmeriCorps kick-off and the annual meeting of the program's Advisory Board. These activities provide additional opportunities for team building, networking, reflection, and recognition of accomplishments.
Upon successful completion of a term of service, members are eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, of approximately $6,195, which may be used only to pay college costs or to repay qualified student loans. The education award amounts for members completing shorter terms of service are pro-rated.
Individuals have seven years from the date of their completed service to use the Segal Education Award. You can divide up your award and use it any way you want, as long as it is for authorized expenditures. For example, you could apply a portion of your award to existing qualified student loans and save the remainder to pay for authorized college costs in the future. Your education award is transferable, but only to your child, grandchild, or foster child if you are at least 55 years of age when you started the program.
The education award can be used at most intuitions of higher education (including graduate and professional programs), as well as some vocational schools. An institution is considered qualified for the education award if it has an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education whereby its students are eligible for at least one of the federally backed forms of financial assistance-such as Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans, National Direct Loans, and Federal Consolidated Loans. If in doubt, check with the institution's financial aid office prior to making definite plans.
AmeriCorps members can receive up to the equivalent of two full-time education awards. Individuals can serve up to four terms but only receive the education award for the successful completion of the first two terms.