This Summer of Service program will continue through Sept 11, which Congress has designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. The Obamas have effectively put teeth and muscle into the national effort. President Obama signed a $5.7 billion dollar national service bill that triples the AmeriCorps budget over the next eight years. “Serving our country is not just something that we should expect our members of our armed forces to do,” Obama said, “That’s something that we should expect all of us as citizens to do.”
The “United We Serve” program is a service initiative led by the Corporation for National and Community Service. President Obama said the objective is to get people to use their expertise to tackle issues in education, health, energy, the environment, animal care and community renewal. The event was one of many that members of the administration participated in this week kicking off the first week of their summer volunteerism initiative, “United We Serve.”
Last week, Michelle Obama commended the tireless work of DC Cares, another community-based advocacy group. “Community service is one way Americans can make this country stronger,” the president said. “I think that sometimes what’s forgotten is … once a person … serves [in] our armed forces, it means the entire family is serving. We want to ask every American to take some time out this summer to do something for others.”
Obama asked Americans to log onto www.serve.gov to find one of the many national and local organizations for volunteer opportunities. Community organizations can also post their service campaigns, programs and events on the site. –terry shropshire
