Volunteer Agencies See Jump in Applications
February 19, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
The floundering economy and President Barack Obama’s promotion of service and volunteerism have led to a major increase in applications at organizations such as the Peace Corps and Teach for America, according to the Associated Press.
Teach for America, which recruits heavily at college campuses, saw applications rise almost 50 percent last year. Peace Corps applications increased 16 percent, with a big spike around the time of the inauguration.
“There’s something in a declining economy that clarifies our values,” said Michael Brown, CEO and co-founder of the Boston education and mentoring nonprofit group City Year, which has seen applications triple, to almost 1,600.
