Your stipend and local benefits

Your stipend

As a City Year Jacksonville AmeriCorps member, you will receive a living stipend of $890 (before taxes) every two weeks (on Fridays). While this is a modest amount, it helps that Jacksonville has a low cost of living and Florida doesn’t have state income tax. You get paid $890 before taxes (this is very important; the amount of taxes taken out of your check varies on circumstances).

You will receive your first paycheck two to three weeks after you start serving. If you opt into relocation and are moving 50 or more miles, you will receive a relocation reimbursement of $500 (pre-tax); after taxes, it but it is estimated about $350-$400 and comes with your first paycheck.

The best way to stretch your earnings is to moderate your spending. There are plenty of cheap and free things to do around Jacksonville, and you’ll have over 100 fellow AmeriCorps members in the same boat as you! Group meals, game nights and city festivals are all great ways to build community without breaking the bank. Take a look at City Year Jacksonville AmeriCorps member Matt August’s spending below to get a sense of what will work for you.

Matt’s November budget- $977

• Rent- $395
• Groceries- $160
• Car- $120
• Miscellaneous expenses- $112
• Utilities- $85
• Entertainment- $70
• Leftover funds- $35

In addition to sharing his monthly spending, Matt has a few tips to share:

• I do all my grocery shopping at Walmart, so I can track my expenses on their app. I will also sometimes will go to Aldi for cheap produce.
• Start off by buying your groceries on a weekly basis to get a good understanding of how much you eat and how much you spend, while keeping your groceries fresh!
• The biggest key to budgeting is to keep track of your expenses. I use apps like Mint and Pocket Expense to help me.

Here is a budget template created by Matt that can help get you started!

National benefits

In addition to your stipend, you’ll also receive health insurance, access to Employee Assistance and Talkspace Therapy programs, as well as relocation support.

Explore national benefits

Local benefits

Food stamps

As a City Year Jacksonville AmeriCorps Member, your paycheck is not considered when determining federal benefits. As such, you are eligible for full food benefits. This is not a benefit that City Year administers, but we do have experience with it.

All of the information can be found on the Florida Department of Children and Families website. You will not be able to apply until your first day of service. We will provide information and detailed instructions on applying for and receiving food stamps.

You can create your account here. At minimum, you’ll need to provide contact info (you can use the City Year office as your address if you don’t know where you’ll be living yet) and social security number. To expedite the process, it’s recommended to complete all fields, including financial information. After you submit your application, wait one business day, then call to set up your interview.

It is possible that your case manager is not familiar with the federal statute dictating AmeriCorps stipend exemption. If that is the case, you can send them the Income Verification Letter which you can request from Veronika McDougald, our Corps Experience Director by emailing her here. If there is still an issue, request a fair hearing. As your case gets elevated, your point of contact is more likely to be familiar with this statute. If there is still an issue, contact the Department of Children and Families local office at (850) 487-1111.

Your student loans may be eligible for forbearance

You may be eligible to have the repayment of a qualified student loan temporarily postponed while you are serving. While a loan is in forbearance, the individual is not required to make payments. Learn more on AmeriCorps’ website to see if you’re eligible and how to apply.