About WCC

Our milestones

• 1983: Our WCC program is formed and modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and '40s.
• 1994: We join forces with the national AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps funding enables us to offer the Eli Segal Education Award (scholarship) to our members and diversify our service experiences.
• 2000s: By mid-decade, we expanded from 75 to 150 members. By 2010, we grew to 200 positions through economic stimulus programs as youth unemployment approached historic highs.
• 2011: The Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1294, folding all WCC activities formerly housed in three other state agencies (Department of Natural Resources, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington State Parks) into our program. Part of this multi-agency effort was the creation of Puget SoundCorps, which provided funding for veteran-specific opportunities and greatly expanded our partnership with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. We grew to 350 members to complete Puget SoundCorps projects.
• 2014: As some short-term projects were completed, we contracted to 285 members.
• 2022: WCC launches our environmental justice program, providing field crew support at no cost for environmental restoration and outdoor recreation projects that advance environmental justice goals.
• 2023: The Washington Climate Corps Network (WCCN) is formed with support from Washington's Climate Commitment Act. WCC joins the network as one of the inaugural members, receiving additional funding in support of clean-energy and climate resilient service projects for young adults and veterans. This funding enabled us to expand opportunities for shared-identity spaces through affinity trips and increase member benefits across the program.
• Today: We have over 350 members and experienced staff serving in nearly every part of the state.