President Obama Issues National Call to Service
6/19/2009
By Jordan LaPier
President Obama this week issued a call for action through United We Serve, a summer-long community service initiative beginning on Monday, June 22, and running through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.
“Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing in Washington – and it’s going to take all of us, working together,” the president said in a YouTube video announcing the initiative, available at www.whitehouse.gov and www.serve.gov.
America’s Promise Alliance is proud to support United We Serve through our partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the government office coordinating the program.
“We welcome President Obama’s call to action because we have seen firsthand how service, especially service by young people, can increase engagement in school, improve test scores and prepare them for the future,” said Marguerite Kondracke, President and CEO of America’s Promise Alliance.
“Service is not only part of our fifth Promise, Opportunities to Help Others, but a bedrock strategy for fulfilling America’s promise for all our young people,” Kondracke said.
Alliance Partners are joining in by sharing their service opportunities and service stories at www.serve.gov.
Individuals can search for or post local service projects and project ideas at www.serve.gov. This website, the online home of the Corporation, features detailed listings of community service projects nationwide, with maps and directions; contact information; and descriptions of the work to be done.
The site also features toolkits for starting up a local service project.
“We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort,” Obama said.
On June 22, First Lady Michelle Obama will formally launch United We Serve at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, and members of the President’s Cabinet will participate in service projects all across the country.
“We’ll be focusing on core areas of our recovery agenda – health care, energy independence, education and community and economic renewal,” the president said.
To find out how you can join us in this exciting initiative, or to watch President Obama’s call to service, visit www.serve.gov today.