A Bigger Peace Corps

Background

MorePeaceCorps is a national outreach and legislative campaign to build public support for a reinvigorated Peace Corps. One of the campaign’s central goals is to robustly expand the Peace Corps in size and budget over the next few years.

This campaign will move the Peace Corps one step closer to President Kennedy’s original vision of 100,000 volunteers working alongside host country nationals to affect desired change, create goodwill, and enrich the U.S. by returning to it a large body of men and women familiar with foreign cultures and dedicated to service.

The Facts

• Demand for volunteers exceeds supply; more than 20 additional countries have requested volunteers and existing programs need greater numbers.
• The number of presently serving volunteers - 7,671 - is half the total of four decades ago.
• The astounding success of the Peace Corps, managed on a budget of $400 million - just over a dollar per year for every U.S. citizen - deserves recognition and increase.  
  

Our Goals

• Urge Congress and the President to appropriate larger funding for Peace Corps through a comprehensive advocacy campaign along with endorsements from prominent leaders.
• Raise awareness of Peace Corps among prospective volunteers and the general public through highly visible public events and outreach programs.
• Raise awareness of the ongoing success of the Peace Corps community - the forgotten dividend of Peace Corps service.

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