America’s Best Kept Secret: AmeriCorps

This week we celebrate one of America’s best kept secrets.  Often referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, AmeriCorps is the country’s flagship national service program. Dynamic individuals volunteer to be placed inside organizations to help them fulfill their mission and build capacity, often tackling some of our most critical issues such as the high school dropout crisis.  These fine Corps members receive a very small stipend for living expenses and then, after the completion of the program, receive an educational award.  Today, in Sacramento, we held our quarterly Commission on Service and Volunteering (California Volunteers ) meeting and one of the primary responsibilities of this group is to oversee the AmeriCorps program in California.  Over the years, and currently as Commission Chair, I have seen firsthand how the Corps members make a positive impact in our communities.  While the program isn’t free, it is a cost effective solution.  From the National Civilian Community Corps to City Year, Corps members are out in force from sun up to sun down not only supplementing the work of agency staff but often providing a different perspective and “twist” to the work at hand.  During the last Presidential election we saw then Senators Obama and McCain suspend their campaigns, and together on stage, discuss the importance of this very program and advocating the passage of the Serve America Act co-sponsored by Senators Kennedy and Hatch,  A true bi-partisan effort.  Today, unfortunately, that bipartisan support has disappeared, especially in the House of Representatives.  While the Serve America Act outlines an expansion of the program, today it faces a group in Congress that wants to zero fund, meaning elimination of the program.  As we face severe problems in society including a challenging budgeting environment, let’s work to grow this cost effective solution to strengthening our country for future generations!  http://americorpsweek.gov/index.asp