ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today launched the third cohort of Maryland Corps and Service Year Option members during the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance at the University of Maryland, College Park. The nearly 600 members in attendance today will serve with more than 200 host site partners representing non-profit organizations, businesses, and more than 20 government agencies.
“Today we celebrate you not because you are perfect, but because this world is imperfect, and you are raising your hand to do something about it,”
said Gov. Moore. “I don’t need to tell you the enormous challenges we are up against as a state and a nation. These are not easy times to live through. But always remember: leaders don’t pick moments, moments pick leaders. Our collective hope is that after you graduate from this program, you continue to serve, because your service will be the thing that saves us.”
The Maryland Corps and Service Year Option program received more than 3,500 applications this year—the most since the program was
created in 2023. The 2025-2026 class joins more than 700 alumni who have completed the program. This year’s class is demographically representative of Maryland, with more than half of the class representing people of color and members hailing from all 24 jurisdictions of Maryland. More than 85% are 24 years old or younger and more than 70% entered the program without a college degree.
“By joining this program, each one of you are part of the long legacy of service that defines our state and our country,”
said First Lady Dawn Moore. “Choosing a life of service is not always an easy path, but I know you are up for the challenge. Today, you are not only joining a legacy of service – you’re building one of your own.”
“Now in its third year, the Maryland Corps and Service Year Option program continues to provide Maryland’s next generation of leaders with meaningful opportunities to serve their communities while gaining professional skills and experience,”
said Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation Secretary Paul Monteiro. “These programs help participants prepare for careers, higher education, and civic leadership, while addressing the most pressing needs of our communities.”
The Department of Service and Civic Innovation this year introduced two new service tracks: the Benefits Navigator Corps and the IT Accessibility Corps. The new service tracks were created in partnership with a variety of state agencies and offices, including the Maryland Department of Human Services, Governor’s Office for Children, Maryland Department of Disabilities, Maryland Department of Information Technology, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and Maryland State Archives.
The Benefits Navigator Corps places members in
ENOUGH communities—Maryland communities with high levels of concentrated child poverty—to deliver hands-on support to help residents access essential programs like SNAP and Medicaid and file taxes. By reducing barriers and simplifying access, the members will help ensure that more Maryland families can connect with the resources they need to thrive.
“The Benefits Navigator Corps is a game-changer for Maryland families,”
said Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López. “We are intentionally placing members where families are, breaking down barriers to essential programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and tax credits. This whole-of-government approach ensures more Marylanders are invited to access the benefits they deserve, while preparing a new generation of trusted messengers and community leaders. It’s not just about connecting people to benefits—it’s about building stability, opportunity, and long-term success for families across our state.”
“This new initiative is the latest example of how Maryland is leading the way in making benefits access easier for families,”
said Governor’s Office for Children Special Secretary Carmel Martin. “By placing Benefits Navigators in ENOUGH communities, we are ensuring support reaches families who need it most. A direct result of cross-agency partnership and collaboration, the Benefits Navigators Corps is aligned with the Moore-Miller administration’s whole-of-government approach to ending child poverty.”
The IT Accessibility Corps will create opportunities for members to help state agencies meet federal accessibility standards and improve digital services. Members will gain hands-on experience in document remediation, website testing, and accessibility certification—building both agency capacity and a pipeline of skilled digital accessibility professionals.
“Marylanders with disabilities often rely on the variety of services and benefits offered by the State of Maryland, but struggle to get them because of inaccessible state websites and systems,”
said Maryland Department of Information Technology Secretary Katie Savage. “The new IT Accessibility Corp embodies the best of civil service; they will be learning and applying technical skills that will help the most vulnerable among us get the benefits they deserve.”
“Partnering with DSCI on initiatives like the IT Accessibility Corps allows us to make state services more accessible for all Marylanders, especially those with disabilities,”
said Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol A. Beatty. “This collaboration helps agencies meet ADA standards while giving Maryland’s emerging leaders hands-on experience and credentials that prepare them for future careers.”
The Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation will also expand its partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support nearly 100 members this year. Students on this service track will work on projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen community resilience, and advance environmental justice, all while preparing for high-demand careers in Maryland’s growing green economy.
“The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to continue our partnership with DSCI and Governor Moore in the second year of the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps – Maryland Corps and Service Year Option programs,”
said Chesapeake Bay Trust President Dr. Jana Davis. “These programs are growing Maryland’s pathways to green careers by building on the success of and expanding the Bay Trust’s long-standing Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Program, preparing new leaders for the jobs of the future, and helping our state meet its ambitious climate goals.”
Following completion of their service year, participants earn a completion award of $6,000. Collectively, members from the previous class completed more than 75,000 hours of related technical instruction and demonstrated proficiency in more than 5,600 certified competencies in fields such as project management and community outreach—strengthening Maryland’s workforce pipeline, strengthening communities, and equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills and experiences to succeed.
To mark the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, the governor and the first lady joined the new class for a service project, assembling welcome bags for Maryland’s new service members who are stationed at Fort Meade and laundry packets for Maryland’s veterans at The
Baltimore Station—which provides service intensive transitional housing to veterans in need of housing and workforce development.
“Here at the University of Maryland, we pride ourselves on pioneering ways to invest in people and communities and partnering to advance the public good,”
said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. “Our collaboration with the Maryland Corps/Service Year Program is yet another example of how we continue fulfilling our public mission and serving our local community, our state and our nation by leveraging Maryland’s tremendous talent to give back.”