Last year, Catholic Volunteer Network endorsed the Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act sponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MS). In July 2020, the National Catholic Reporter published an op-ed by CVN’s Executive Director, Yonce Shelton, urging support for the bipartisan effort. After the Act was reintroduced to Congress on April 15, Senators Coons and Wicker have invited supporters to shout their advocacy for the Act via social media, including us at CVN.

If passed, the CORPS Act would significantly expand U.S. national service programs to help the country recover and rebuild from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In part, the Act would:

• Increase AmeriCorps member living allowances and education awards, making participating in service more accessible and inclusive
• Stabilize existing national service grantees and prioritize expanding programs to support communities that are underserved and disproportionately impacted by COVID-19

As CVN continues to work towards creating a future of service rooted in equity, the CORPS Act can aid in bringing this vision to life on a national scale.

In preparation for Representatives David Price (D-NC) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introducing the CORPS Act in the House later this month, CVN will be joining the tweetstorm from 12:00-2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 6, 2021.

Not available to join during that time? The conversation doesn’t need to stop there! You create a #ServiceShoutout to an individual or a group making a difference in your community, including CVN membership programs and the volunteers working on the frontlines. Don’t forget to tag CVN in your posts so we can celebrate your support!

You can check out the #ServiceShoutout Social Media Toolkit created by Senator Coons’ office here, and learn more about the importance of this Act by reading the Voices for National Service Press Release distributed last month. Looking to dig even deeper? View a webinar on national service featuring Service Year Alliance’s “Roadmap to a Service Presidency” by clicking here.