Press Release: Encore Service Corps International, National Peace Corps Association Announce “Joint Project” to Serve Overseas

Washington, DC — October 20th, 2010 — In celebration of the 50th anniversary year of the Peace Corps, Encore Service Corps International (Encore) and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) are pleased to announce a Joint Project to build capacity of host institutions in developing countries through the recruitment and placement of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and others with similar experience in short-term assignments.

“Volunteers from every walk of life and every decade of Peace Corps experience will have a chance to make a difference in developing countries – again,” says Encore chairman Russell Morgan, who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya from 1965-68. “Once a Peace Corps Volunteer, always a Peace Corps Volunteer!”

Over the next 15 months, these Encore volunteers will contribute their unique combination of cross-cultural understanding, professional experience and lifelong passion for service in short-term capacity building projects, lasting from six weeks to three months or more. As in the past, volunteers will serve in every conceivable discipline, from agriculture and public health, to small business development and teaching.

Under the Joint Project effort, NPCA will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Encore, including the recruitment and placement of volunteers, project development and outreach. The project will be governed by an advisory committee made up of representatives from both Encore and NPCA, and staffed by NPCA Vice President Anne Baker and Program Assistant Erin Madsen.

“Extending and strengthening the Peace Corps experience is a key goal of NPCA given how many of our community members want to serve again,” says Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace Corps Association.  “Recognizing this, there is no better time than Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary year to launch this exciting project with Encore.”

About Encore Service Corps International (Encore)

Founded in 2004, Encore is an independent 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization which connects former Peace Corps Volunteers, staff members, and professionals with similar overseas experience to capacity-building volunteer assignments in the developing world in their areas of professional expertise. Encore partners with U.S. and locally based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to seek sustainable solutions to the pressing needs of individuals, groups and organizations. To learn more, visit www.encoreservicecorps.org.

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About the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA)

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is the nation’s leading 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization connecting and championing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and the Peace Corps community. It provides service and education opportunities that build on the Peace Corps experience, and is also the longest-standing advocate for an independent and robust Peace Corps. To learn more, visit: www.peacecorpsconnect.org

Media contact:
Erica Burman
Director of Communications
Phone: 202-293-7728

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