Peace Corps Polyglot

Obama Budget Includes $373.5 Million for the Peace Corps

This morning President Obama released a detailed version of his Fiscal Year 2010 budget to Congress which includes a funding request of $373.5 for the Peace Corps. This request represents a ten percent increase in spending above the current $340 Million funding level for Peace Corps.

“President Obama’s Peace Corps funding request is a step in the right direction, but it is only a step”, said NPCA President Kevin Quigley.  “As a growing number of Americans are responding to the President’s call to service, and as more and more countries request Peace Corps volunteers, we need to provide the resources that will allow us to meet these needs and reach the President’s stated goal of doubling the number of volunteers by the 50^th anniversary of Peace Corps. Unfortunately, this budget does not reflect that goal, rather calling for a very modest increase in the number of volunteers to 9,000—an approximately 13% by the time of the 50^th Anniversary.  There is more work to be done in securing the needed resources for the Peace Corps, and we hope Congress will address this in the coming weeks and months by appropriating funding for the Peace Corps that meets - or surpasses - the President’s request.”

Consideration of the President’s budget moves to the Senate Appropriations Committees. If your representative(s) serve on these committees, contact them to express support for Peace Corps funding levels that go beyond the President’s request, such as the $450 Million proposed in the Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2009, legislation before the House of Representatives.

>> Click here for the State Department's Summary and Highlights of the International Affairs Function, FY2010 Budget Request (.pdf format) and then click to page 35 of the document to see the budget details for the Peace Corps.

Wofford Calls for "Service Stimulus"

Peace Corps Pioneer Harris Wofford recently teamed up with Stephen Goldsmith (Chairman of the Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service) to say that along with repairing roads, schools and bridges, our nation's "civic infrastructure" also needs to be strengthened.

Read their commentary, "Volunteers for national service desperately needed", published by the McClatchy News Service.

Happy International Volunteer Day!

Today is a day to recognize and celebrate global volunteers and the great work that they do!  December 5 was declared by the UN to International Volunteer Day in 1985 and since then volunteers all over the world have had a chance to take today to get some well-deserved appreciation.

The Building Bridges Coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution on International Volunteering and Service, has put together a nifty e-card/factsheet to send out to your collegues and friends that will tell them about the holiday and give them some information about international volunteering.

The BBC also encourages you to spread the word on all your networks, whether via Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter.

You can download the BBC's International Volunteer Day PDF here .  Don't forget to pass it on!

NPCA Turns International Volunteer Day into a Day of Action

On December 5, International Volunteer Day, NPCA took the lead in organizing Capitol Hill advocacy and a nationwide action to expand opportunities for global service.  Nearly 30 members of the Building Bridges Coalition held meetings and provided information to 300 congressional offices, urging co-sponsorship of the Global Service Fellowship Act.  (Pictured left to right:  Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Betsy Heckman with Greenforce USA, NPCA Advocacy Coordinator Jonathan Pearson)

The effort has started to yield results with six new co-sponsors of House and Senate legislation.  It also was the focal point of a Huffington Post piece by blogger (and Hill Advocacy participant) Jake Brewer.

While the December 5th action day has passed, the work to secure additional co-sponsors continues.  Click here  for more information and action opportunities. 

Contact Advocacy Coordinator Jonathan Pearson (advocacy AT rpcv.org) if you can help with targeted action in your state/region.

Happy International Volunteer Day!

Yes, the United Nations has declared December 5 International Volunteer Day. 

So, give a volunteer a hug (give yourself one from me if you're a Peace Corp volunteer or returned Peace Corps volunteer) and then join NPCA and the Building Bridges Coalition in calling on Congress to expand opportunities for international volunteering. 

CLICK HERE and take just a few minutes to contact your Senator and/or Representative.  We're building support for the Global Service Fellowship Program Act (S. 1464; H.R. 3698).

December 5th National Action Day Planned to Promote International Volunteerism

Every December 5th, International Volunteer Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the key role volunteers play in addressing global challenges.

NPCA is assisting the Building Bridges Coalition this year in organizing a December 5^th National Action Day to promote and expand opportunities for global volunteerism.  The primary focus will be advocacy to build support for the Global Service Fellowship Program Act.

We will provide action opportunities you can take from home to encourage your lawmakers to co-sponsor this legislation.  For those who can, please make plans to come to Washington and join advocates from other international volunteer programs for a lobby day urging support for this legislation.  If you can join us, please fill out this brief registration form.

Take Two Minutes to Support Expanded Global Volunteerism

The efforts of NPCA advocates to support increased funding for Peace Corps is paying off.  Recent action in the U.S. Senate has set the stage for approval of the largest Peace Corps funding increase in five years!  Click here for more details and follow-up action opportunities.

As a member of the Building Bridges Coalition, NPCA supports a doubling of the number of U.S. citizens serving our nation abroad through Peace Corps service and other initiatives.  One such initiative, the “Global Service Fellowship Program Act”, is about to be introduced by Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum (featured above).  Your help is needed to get this legislation off to a strong start.  Contact your representatives and ask them to become an original co-sponsor of the legislation.  Click here to take a quick, two minute action.

Give me a "V" -- Building Bridges Coalition Lauches

In an unprecedented show of support for international volunteering, more than 500 former volunteers and supporters will gather in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia at 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 15 to spell out “VOLUNTEER” by forming a human chain of former volunteers. Each participant will also hold a placard featuring the country and year of their international volunteering experience. (Now that will be a sight! I often say that working with the Peace Corps community is like herding cats...)

The gathering will also serve as the launch of the Building Bridges Coalition – a grassroots coalition that seeks to double the number of U.S. volunteers overseas by 2010 – and the introduction of its website, http://www.wevolunteer.net. 

NPCA has been a leading member of the coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution’s International Volunteering Project and in partnership with Idealist.org.

The Building Bridges Coalition website features personal stories of international volunteering and information on how to volunteer internationally. Unique new functions will profile visitors and match them with the best volunteer opportunities, as well as monitor their experience in an effort to increase efficacy and impact of volunteering efforts.

Sunday’s gathering precedes the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, which will be held July 16–18 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The theme of this year’s conference — “The Power of We” — proudly declares the power of collective action when individuals or institutions join to solve serious social problems. David Eisner, CEO of Corporation for National & Community Service (a co-host of the conference) will speak, as will Steven Culbertson, president and CEO of Youth Service America.

Please note that the website "goes live" on Sunday.