Dinosaurs March On White House To Save National Service From Extinction

If it takes dressing up like a T. rex to save AmeriCorps, this group is down for the cause. 

About 100 demonstrators dressed up in inflatable dinosaur costumes assembled outside the White House on Wednesday to roar about cuts to the national service budget. President Donald Trump ’s first budget for Congress seeks to eliminate funding for the longstanding government initiative to promote national service, the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

And these Tyrannosaurus rexes really don’t want to see that happen. 

“We’re coming for you,” the protesters chanted. “Rawr!” 

A Columbia University study showed that every $1 invested in national service results in nearly $4 worth of community gains. 

CNCS oversees a wide range of programs, including AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. The programs help American communities with volunteer initiatives in schools and senior centers, and with disaster relief and military family support.

The agency is currently assisting with relief efforts in Texas after Hurricane Harvey devastated huge areas, including Houston, Beaumont and Port Arthur.

“AmeriCorps members with American Youth Works are assisting Red Cross shelter operations and additional AmeriCorps members will provide support for Red Cross damage and disaster assessments, mobile feeding routes, shelters, warehouses, and logistics,” the agency said in a statement last week . 

It’s nice to see these ubiquitous T. rex outfits get used for something other than another meme.