Highlights Including The Colorado Challenge
We are extremely grateful to all advocates who took action during our annual August/September mobilization!
We can confirm at least 46 activities held (or scheduled) in 28 states, with more to come as some activities are extending into October.
The work continues. While Congress has adjourned until after the November elections, they will return to take on passing spending bills for the new federal fiscal year (FY 2025) which began October 1st with government funding on hold at FY 2024 levels, and a December 20th deadline to approve new spending levels.
We have already begun mobilization on FY 2025 spending, as there is a nearly $50 million difference between the House (recommending level funding at $430.5 million) and the Senate (where the Appropriations Committee is recommending a Peace Corps funding increase to $479 million). It is going to take a huge lift to secure the full Senate funding recommendation. That is why we need all supporters of the Peace Corps to reach out to lawmakers starting now, and over the next three months!
Looking back, here are some highlights from our 2024 August/September Mobilization:
The Colorado Challenge
Congratulations to the Colorado RPCVs! Following NPCA’s “Colorado Advocacy Half-Hour” zoom call, which led advocates to secure a meeting with the district office of Senator John Hickenlooper, the NPCA affiliate group issued a September 19 challenge to their members: Send 200 messages to Congress. Less than a week later, the number of Colorado messages sent using our Action Center reached 285! Nearly 1,000 messages can be confirmed during the past two months. Other top states sending messages during this period include New Mexico (100), Wisconsin (70), California (66), and Utah (49). With the need for many thousands more messages to Congress in the next three months, you can help meet the challenge and lead your state into the top ten (or maybe the top five?) in reaching out to your lawmakers.
Camping, Hiking, and Postcard Writing
From San Diego CA, to Minneapolis MN, to Columbus OH, NPCA affiliate groups created postcards and incorporated postcard writing to Congress at annual gatherings or other planned events. That also happened in New Mexico, but in their case, the New Mexico RPCVs incorporated postcard writing into their annual summer camp out, held this year in Tererro, NM. In this setting, the group produced 100 postcard messages to Congress!
Mahalo Hawai’i!
Congratulations as well to the Hawaii RPCVs for their consistent activity during NPCA mobilizations! Over the past two months, the group had a face-to-face meeting with Representative Ed Case (a member of the important House Appropriations Committee), and the district office of Senator Mazie Hirono. And, while a little before our official kickoff, a strong contingent reported a very positive community response when RPCVs marched in the Honolulu Fourth of July parade.
The “Write” Stuff
While more successes are expected in the coming weeks, during August and September ten opinion pieces, letters-to-the-editors and feature stories were published in nine states, with the potential to reach 300,000 readers. This included recent opinion pieces and letters published in Monterey CA, Spokane WA, Salt Lake City UT, and Milwaukee WI.
Photo captions