While the nation looks to recover financially, one local congressman is pushing for national service as a way to do that. 

Congressman Brian Higgins is co-sponsoring the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act.

He says it would fund 250,000 positions by the end of a three-year response and recovery period.

In Western New York, the Service Collaborative runs the many national service programs throughout the region. 

They cover areas like early childhood education, financial literacy, and workforce development. 

Increasing funding could mean a lot more opportunities in Western New York and across the country.

“The sky's the limit,” said Kate Sarata, the Service Collaborative of WNY executive director. “We'd see more support for nonprofits that have had to shutter programs or condense programs. Any time our country is faced with disaster, any time our country is faced with high unemployment rates, this idea of national service is really vital."

Sarata says recruitment for national service locally has been holding steady during the pandemic.