SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCBS) -- A new California cabinet position has been created to promote volunteerism in the state.
The idea came to life following last year's devastating Cosco Busan oil spill into San Francisco Bay. Governor Schwarzenegger said that the disaster made him realize the passion of people who simply wanted to pitch in and help, only to be turned away by the agencies assigned to the cleanup.
Karen Baker has been tapped to hold the cabinet position. She heads up the state’s California Volunteers program, created by First Lady Maria Shriver.
”We have 6.5 million Californians who are serving, and what we’re interested in is having millions more join our volunteer force,” said Baker.
She says volunteers aren't just needed during disasters like the oil spill, or a deadly wildfire, or in the event of an earthquake. They're needed 365 days a year to help in schools, at hospitals, and around homeless shelters.
California Volunteers will still maintain its current staffing levels and budget, with Baker taking on expanded duties without a pay raise, which Baker calls her contribution to the whole volunteering idea.
The cabinet position is the first of its kind in the country.
(MGO)
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KCBS' Mark Seelig reports
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