NPCA celebrates two decades of advocating for a stronger Peace Corps
By Jonathan Pearson
Since its founding 45 years ago, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) has been the constant, leading voice for our community when it comes to supporting and improving the Peace Corps and its thousands of serving and returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Starting in 2005, this work included the establishment of our National Days of Advocacy to coincide with the beginning of Peace Corps Week.
Our primary kick-off activity is an in-person Capitol Hill Day, held close to March 1, the anniversary of President Kennedy’s establishment of the Peace Corps.
But that’s just the beginning.
Since 2017, our spring advocacy mobilization has truly become a National Days of Advocacy in support of the Peace Corps. In addition to our Capitol Hill Day, we began to encourage solidarity activities all across the nation. These activities include holding local district office meetings, organizing letter writing gatherings, conducting advocacy presentations, and submitting op-eds or letters to the editor to local or regional newspapers.
PARTICIPATE IN OUR 20TH NATIONAL DAYS OF ADVOCACY THROUGH THE MONTH OF APRIL
Here’s what you can do:
Organize a Days of Advocacy Solidarity Activity: Let’s have NPCA Days of Advocacy solidarity activities in all 50 States! Check out our map below, and then register your solidarity event (You don’t need to have all details finalized. Simply write “TBD” and provide updated details later).
Contact us for district meeting “leave behind” materials: If you are meeting with a local office of a member of Congress, we can provide you with information you can use to create a packet you can give to the office with key reasons to support increased Peace Corps funding, pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act, and more. Write to [email protected] to request these materials.
Write an Op-ed or Letter-to-the-Editor: Work with us to submit an op-ed or letter-to-the-editor supporting the Peace Corps. This is the most recent part of our Days of Advocacy, and participation is flexible for your schedule during March or April 2024. Contact [email protected] for more information (including our op-ed template).
Visit our Action Center: Urge your lawmakers to support the Peace Corps by visiting our Action Center. It takes less than five minutes to write your member(s) of Congress!
Please bookmark and return to this page for additional Days of Advocacy materials as they become available.
[WATCH] PEACE CORPS ADVOCATE STORIES
As we mark the 20th year of National Days of Advocacy (NDOA), hear several of our advocates talk about their advocacy experiences and the importance of this anniversary year: