The call to volunteer was a constant theme during the Bush Administration and while there were significant increases in groups like Americorps, it seems a tough job market and renewed call for service by President Obama have spiked volunteers to join the Peace Corps.
It was President Kennedy who said nearly 50 years ago, “I have today signed an executive order providing for the establishment of a peace corps on a temporary pilot basis”
From that pilot program in 1961, close to 200-thousand volunteers have served our country around the globe on behalf of this group in developing nations in every corner of the globe. nOw it seems more Americans are answering the call.
One volunteer Ashley Brown tells us, “I wanted to both serve people and travel at the same time and Peace Corps seemed like the obvious choice”
The corps says starter aplications have jumped 40 percent in the last year and completed ones are up 16 percent. Some in the organization claim President Obama’s renewed call to serve is the reason for the spike in applicants, but volunteers we spoke to also say that a tough job market helped them make the decision as well.
Volunteer Kate LaBore says, “At the time when I was casting around for a new career direction, it was partly because i was laid off and was unemployed at the time.”
President Obama says he wants to increase the budget for the volunteer group by 10 percent in time for its 50 year anniversary in 2011.