Advocacy
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National Peace Corps Association > News > Advocacy > May Featured Advocate: PCV on the Mend
May Featured Advocate: PCV on the Mend
By Jonathan Pearson on Friday, May 6th, 2011
A serious ankle injury forced Jenifer Bubenik of Clayton, North Carolina to return stateside in the course of her Peace Corps service as a Municipal Development volunteer in Honduras.
While recovering in Washington, Jenifer saw an NPCA flyer seeking volunteers and came to our offices to find out how she could help. ”Being here in the NPCA office has been a great experience. I’d invite other (medevac’d PCVs) to do so.”
With Jenifer’s ankle on the mend, our advocacy program put it to the test! She helped distribute NPCA letters to approximately 200 congressional offices, urging lawmakers to sign onto the Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter.
The workings of government is not a new experience for Jenifer. From 1999 – 2000, she served as a Legislative Assistant for then State Senator and current Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC). Between 2005 – 2008, she was a Field Representative in the San Diego district office of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
“I would like to see more of our representatives in Congress visit Peace Corps volunteers to see us in action and see how we are living,” says Jenifer, who adds the Honduras Peace Corps program is planning for a reduction in volunteers due to budget cuts. ”I’d like to see funding spent on more sustainable projects, to make sure those projects keep going…I’d also like to see more professional volunteers with advanced degrees, and a continued expansion of the Fellows Program.”
Jenifer is scheduled to return to her Peace Corps assignment on May 19th. We wish her the very best as she continues to serve our country, and thank her for her recent service to the NPCA community!
