Serve America Act Co-Sponsors October 7, 2008
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The Serve America Act, introduced by Senators Kennedy and Hatch, is co-sponsored by the following Senators:
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
Sen Cochran, Thad [MS]
Sen Coleman, Norm [MN]
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT]
Sen Durbin, Richard [IL]
Sen Gregg, Judd [NH]
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]
Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR]
Sen McCain, John [AZ]
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD]
Sen Murray, Patty [WA]
Sen Obama, Barack [IL]
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY]
Sen Smith, Gordon H. [OR]
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI]
Sen Wicker, Roger F. [MS]
[...] The bill has tremendous bi-partisan support including the authors Senators Kennedy and Hatch. See the full list of co-sponsors here. [...]
[...] Amid the economic and emotional uncertainty this is the exact time to empower individuals to take an active role in securing our future. Both Senators McCain and Obama believe this. Each are strong supporters of service and both have co-sponsored the bi-partisan Serve America Act introduced by Senators Kennedy and Hatch (full list of co-sponsors). [...]
I work at a state run AmeriCorps program in DC. It is the United States Veterans Initiative. I say state run because there are three basic branches of AmeriCorps service. State, National and Vista. I have talked to a large number of people who have done state AmeriCorps service, and the best way to sum up people’s service is to say that most people really enjoy what they are able to do in the non-profit sector and many of them have luke warm to extremely negative experiances with AmeriCorps itself. That varies with whether or not you speak with Vistas, Nationals, or States. Ranked in order of best experiances with AmeriCorps itself.
What AmeriCorps bills itself as is a team building, community driven organization that will pair you with other like minded individuals seeking to make a difference in one’s community. That you’ll be a part of the “AmeriCorps Team”. In reality, it is an employment agency for people to work at non-profits. It is aggravating becuase it could be so much more, and because it sells itself on being so much more. There are other non-profit year long service organizations that provide what AmeriCorps aims to, or at least advertises itself as. Programs like Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Lutheran Volunteer Corps (a lot of christian denominations followed by Volunteer Corps).
My roommate who was doing AmeriCorps with me (he quit because our program is royally screwed up) did Jesuit Volunteer Corps last year in New Orleans. He is more connected with other JVCs in Washington DC (people who he didn’t actually serve with) then he is with fellow AmeriCorps members (who he did actually serve with) because JVC focuses on supporting its members, and being a community and AmeriCorps doesn’t.
What is truly sad about poorly run AmeriCorps, and other non-profits, is that it turns away people from service.
I’m not trying to embarrass anyone, or show up my AmeriCorps director. I just want it to be better. AmeriCorps should be better than it currently is, especially if Pres. Obama wants to expand it to 250,000 from 70,000. National service shouldn’t be mandatory but every young american should want to serve their community and country, and they should have the opportunity to. But if they make that choice, their service should be meaningful and they should not leave disenchanted and cynical.