As of January 24, Peace Corps Volunteers in the field are being paid, using carryover funds. Host country staff are working, although some are unpaid. Most field-based training and staging are continuing.
According to the NPCA, here are specific actions that RPCVs can take to support the Peace Corps at this time:
“First and foremost, we will not allow the worst-case scenario – PCVs being sent home – to materialize. The Peace Corps community must write or call their elected officials in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and the White House, urging them to end the partial government shutdown and let federal employees return to work and be paid.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs). Here are four things we can do as a community for RPCVs:
- Invite a furloughed (or unpaid working) RPCV federal employee to lunch or dinner. Let them know that you care about them and help take the edge off the cash flow pain.
- Support businesses that are helping furloughed workers. You can even sponsor NPCA’s happy hours and pizza for furloughed RPCVs by donating to the cause.
- Connect with your local affiliate group to support furloughed RPCV federal employees through their mentoring, career counseling, couchsurfing, and other RPCV outreach.
- Refer any furloughed RPCV in a dire situation to NPCA’s benevolent fund.”
Click here for a link to the entire NPCA article.