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Greetings!
Happy holiday season to all!
Congratulations and thank you to the many RPCV member groups who provided leadership in connection with our letter to President Obama.
This month's featured advocate helped us reach our goal on the letter. Just one of many ways she helps the Peace Corps community.
Quite soon, we will be seeking your individual voice on why Peace Corps still matters.
Your December monthly update awaits below.
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 115 RPCV Member Groups Sign Letter to President Obama
A National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) delegation led by former Ohio Congressman Tony Hall (Thailand 66-67), NPCA Board Chair Tony Barclay (Kenya 68-70) and Acting President Anne Baker (Fiji 84-87) met on December 6th with officials of the federal Office of Management and Budget to discuss the President's next Peace Corps budget request to Congress.
One of the items the group presented at the meeting was a December 5th letter to the President signed by RPCV member groups from all across the country.
Thanks to your efforts, we surpassed our goal of at least 100 group signatures on the letter to the President!
>>Read More |
 Peace Corps Commemorative:
Down to the Wire
The so-called "Fiscal Cliff" isn't the only item with its fate hanging in the balance at the close of the 112th Congress.
Negotiations on a package of public lands bills is also under consideration and that could include the non-controversial Peace Corps Commemorative legislation. (House Bill 854 and Senate Bill 1421).
Congressional passage is a necessary first step to advance a modest, privately funded commemorative near the National Mall to mark the historic significance of the founding of the Peace Corps.
- If your member(s) of Congress are on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, or the House Natural Resources Committee, continue contacting them and urge them to use their leadership to pass Peace Corps Commemorative legislation before the end of this year.
- If your lawmakers are among the 22 Senators and 159 Congressmen/women who have co-sponsored this legislation, please ask that they use their leadership to ensure that the Peace Corps Commemorative legislation passes.
- If you are represented by members of the Senate or House who have not yet co-sponsored Peace Corps Commemorative legislation, please contact them and ask them to co-sponsor the legislation and help lead efforts to make sure these bills are passed this year.
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 Coming Soon, to an Electronic Device Near You...
As the year winds down, we're making some lists...checking them twice...
Here's a few things you can expect to see from NPCA Advocacy in the coming weeks:
- Your Voice - Why Does Peace Corps Matter? As we gear up for the new 113th Congress, we want to carry your voice to Capitol Hill. We are putting the final touches on a brief survey where we will ask you to share your thoughts on why Peace Corps still matters, and how your Peace Corps experience has benefited your local community, your state, or our nation. Start thinking about your replies. We expect to send this survey your way next week.
- 2012 Advocacy Year-in-Review: Once again this year, our January advocacy update will be a review of our 2012 activities. You can expect our year-in-review during the first week in January.
- National Day of Action Updates: Traffic will also start to pick up with news and announcements pertaining to the National Day of Action (see more below).
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 Gearing Up for the
National Day of Action: February 28, 2013
February 28th may still seem like a long ways off, but not when it comes to beginning the background preparations for our 9th Annual National Day of Action in Support of the Peace Corps.
Thanks to some great interns and volunteers, we are starting the process of updating biographical information for the new 113th Congress which begins its work in January.
Meanwhile, registrations for those planning to join us in Washington on February 28th are starting to trickle in. Right now, we have ten registrants representing seven states and the District of Columbia.
Follow this link to read more about the National Day of Action.
If you plan to participate in the Capitol Hill activities on that day, please contact us at advocacy@peacecorpsconnect.org.
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 Reports Examine Health, Safety, Security
Reports in the recent past by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Peace Corps Office of Inspector General (IG) examine the progress and continuing challenges in supporting Peace Corps Volunteers harmed due to violence, illness or injury.
The reports came in the lead up to the one year anniversary of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act being signed into law. Follow this link to read Peace Corps' November report on progress in implementing provisions of the legislation.
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 Thank You Donors!
Along with this monthly newsletter, most of you on Friday should receive another message from the NPCA: Our weekly installment as part of our End of Year Donation Drive.
Each Friday, we're telling part of the story of how your NPCA membership and special donations are put to work. From the importance of having an innovative and independent national non-governmental organization to unite the Peace Corps community, to our role in highlighting your many acheivements (last Friday's installment), to our role supporting member groups (this Friday's installment), to our advocacy efforts (future installment), your generous support keeps us going.
Keep us going in 2013 with a donation now.
Many of you have already done so. People like Shauna Steadman (Morocco 03-05) pictured above at a 50th anniversary gathering of the West Virginia RPCVs last year in Charleston. Shauna is among the nearly 200 members of our advocacy network who made a special donation or renewed their membership in November. Follow this link as we recognize and thank these great members of our community.
>>Check Out Our November Honor Roll |
 Featured Advocate: Kate Schachter
Occasionally, followers of the United States Senate break the lawmakers down into two categories. There are the "Showhorses" and then there are the "Workhorses".
If that standard were applied to the Peace Corps community, our December featured advocate certainly qualifies as a "Workhorse"!
Involvement with advocacy is one of many contributions Kate Schachter provides to the NPCA. She's taken her advocacy experiences back to her home turf of Wisconsin, where she has been very involved with the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison. But that's not all. She's working to engage other NPCA member groups too!
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You still want to make a difference. Be a member to continue serving, connect with others, and support the legacy of the Peace Corps.
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DC AREA ADVOCATES:
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
If you live in the Washington D.C. area, we are in need of volunteers to help our advocacy program, especially over the next four months.
The aftermath of November elections will require a lot of updating of our state-specific resources, as we prepare for our 9th Annual National Day of Action next March.
Additionally, we are getting some great response with lots of updated information through our Find the 250K Campaign. We could use some extra hands to help us work through and update all this new data.
Can you help us out? Please contact us today.
Thanks!
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This Month's Featured Advocate...
Kate Schachter
Ghana
2004 - 2007
Fitchburg, WI
Read More Below
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SUBSCRIBE TO NPCA
ADVOCACY NEWS
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FEDERAL EMPLOYEE?
Please remember and support the National Peace Corps Association during the Combined Federal Campaign
OUR CFC # IS 11708
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NEXT STEP TRAVEL
YOUR NEXT STEP?
The first two trips have been fun and inspiring. More are on the way in 2013.
Travel with other RPCVs and participate in service vacations to Guatemala, or the Dominican Republic, or... (watch for future destinations soon).
Follow this link to learn more!
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Happy Holidays... The holiday season is upon us. A great time to visit our online store Share the Peace Corps spirit over the holidays. A portion of your purchase supports the efforts of the National Peace Corps Association. Thank you! |
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The National Peace Corps Association is recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four Star Charity, the highest rating given by this independent evaluator which analyses the financial health and efficiencies of non-profit organizations.
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