By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-822993.mp3
West Seneca, NY – President Barack Obama laid out an ambitious agenda in his speech to Congress this week. The economy, energy, healthcare and education top the list. But the President also made a brief, yet not so subtle, push for expanded national service.
During his campaign, President Obama pledged to support and promote volunteer national service. He said that greater investment in programs such as Americorps will improve our young people and our communities. His speech highlighted the need to pass the Kennedy-Hatch bill. That law, if approved, would increase Americorps funding to five billion dollars over five years. Mark Lazzara heads Western New York Americorps. He was thrilled to hear the President include national service in the national agenda.
Lazzara said Mr. Obama is right to include national service in his argument for bolstering the economy. Lazzara said an investment in young people is also an investment in strengthening the workforce, because many Americorps and Vista members are hired by companies who know how they work.
Lazzara said it is an inexpensive job training program, costing roughly $12,500 for a full-year of service from an Americorps member.
He said the orgnaization will go after about three million dollars from the stimulus package to expand the local program. Lazzara said the money would allow Western New York Americorps to double its ranks. And he said passage of the Kennedy-Hatch bill would sustain that growth for two years. Lazarra said he can see a day when Americorps ranks could swell to a quarter million members nationwide.
Lazzara said president Obama's support has already been inspiration for many to join.
"Our numbers of recruits are just growing exponentially. We are at five to one applications for applications we can fill for Americorps and Vista locally," said Lazzara.
"That really only happens with a national excitement around service. And I think that the President is giving us that."
But Lazzara said that is not just because the President is mentioning national service in his speeches. Lazarra said it is because Obama set the example himself by serving as a community organizer in Chicago.
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