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Available Resources
Fortunately, implementing Citizen Corps in your community can be accomplished with resources that you
may already have available. Volunteer agencies in your community and your volunteer center, if you have one, can help you
better direct volunteer interest to Citizen Corps activities. There are many low-cost ways for local businesses to
participate; by donating the cost of a publication, by sponsoring a Citizen Corps volunteer fair, by sponsoring training for
employees or neighborhood residents, and by practicing emergency preparedness plans for the business. The federal and state
governments will provide training materials and technical assistance to help you get started and to help you sustain the
momentum. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency that operates nationwide service programs, may
make available to Citizen Corps Councils volunteers that participate in AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America
programs. Many of these participants are already active in disaster-related programs with other voluntary agencies.
Volunteers could serve to help communities establish a training and information delivery system in neighborhoods, schools,
and businesses, and could help with family preparedness and crime prevention initiatives in the community or across a region.
Volunteer support and participation in Citizen Corps can come from a variety of sources. Encourage your council members
to be creative when thinking about potential resources that exist throughout the community. Appendix A is a list of
government, emergency management, and first responder community websites that may be helpful to you as you expand your
volunteer base. Appendix B includes a list of questions to help your council identify possible resources, including people,
materials, and financial. President Bush has requested more than $230 million from Congress in Fiscal Year 2003 to support and expand Citizen Corps
initiatives. This amount includes funds for FEMA, DOJ, and HHS to support the five national Citizen Corps programs,
including nationwide CERT training, and grants to communities through the state to support local activities that foster
preparedness programs and partnerships between the first responder organizations and the volunteers. If Congress approves
this budget, these funds would be available in October 2002.