Press Release for National Conference on Service and Volunteering

First Lady Michelle Obama Issues Call to Service to Nation’s Volunteer Leaders

Entertainers, Political Leaders “Pump Up” National Conference on Volunteering and Service

San Francisco, CA – June 23, 2009 – Speaking to a record-breaking 5,000 attendees, First Lady Michelle Obama called on all Americans to participate in our nation’s renewal and recovery in a keynote address at the opening session of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.

“This, more than anything, is the key point I want to make today – that this new Administration doesn’t view service as separate from our national priorities, or in addition to our national priorities – we see it as the key to achieving our national priorities. We believe that the only way to build that new foundation for our economy is to establish a new role for service in this country,” she said.

The First Lady announced the launch of United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in America. The initial phase of United We Serve runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. More than a dozen members of President Obama’s Cabinet participated in the kick-off by fanning out across the country to join in service projects.

In her remarks, Mrs. Obama announced an initiative of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that will carry the service message to millions of Americans. During the week of October 19, plots and themes of dozens of popular network television programs will center on volunteering to inspire Americans to serve.

“The idea is to emphasize for viewers across the country that service is a part of who we are as Americans – and to highlight the power of service to make a difference in people’s lives,” Mrs. Obama said.

The opening plenary featured a star-studded lineup of elected officials and popular culture figures including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Matthew McConaughey and an inspirational performance from Jon Bon Jovi, who stated that, “We’re going to be the ones that make volunteerism hip. Together, and with the power of ‘WE’, we can start a revolution one soul at a time.”

Pelosi highlighted the new service opportunities created by Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. “In these great times of great challenge, America needs more people like all of you- rolling up your sleeves and pitching in to turn challenges in your communities into opportunities to serve. I come here today to thank you, and I come here proud of what Congress has done in a bipartisan way to help provide those opportunities.”

Schwarzenegger, first Governor in the nation to appoint a cabinet-level position on service and volunteering, told the sold-out crowd he was on hand to “Pump you up!” for service.

“Service and volunteerism is important to me; they are important to my family and to the great State of California,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I am here to pump up your spirit because I believe in you and the amazing work that all of you do. And I believe that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in service all across this country, maybe even a revolution.”

Bon Jovi, who founded the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation, addressed the conference and played a short musical set to celebrate the year-round work of volunteers. McConaughey discussed the work of his charitable organization, j.klivin foundation, to bring after-school fitness and wellness programs to underserved communities and introduced a video about the Entertainment Industry Foundation initiative to inspire Americans to answer the call of service.

Inspiring Others To Serve

Monday morning, nearly 300 attendees boarded buses at 7 a.m. to travel to Bret Harte Elementary School, where they were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and California’s First Lady Maria Shriver to rebuild the school’s playground. The recreation area is the first fully intergenerational volunteer-built playground in the nation, providing a space for people of all ages to come together and play. The service project, sponsored by CaliforniaVolunteers, was Shriver’s 31st playground build in the state and honored the life and legacy of Cesar E. Chavez. Governor Schwarzenegger, in his address at the Moscone Center, noted that “the Obama’s continue to prove that no family is too busy to serve.”

Neil Bush, Chairman of the Board for Points of Light Institute, continued the momentum of civic engagement when he announced the HandsOn Network “Get HandsOn Campaign,” a strategic response to the President’s call to service and United We Serve initiative. Through the campaign, HandsOn Network aims to recruit and mobilize a core of 50,000 volunteer leaders and engage people of all generations in two million impact-driven projects. The goals of the campaign are to reduce the drop-out rate by leveraging the power of service in every school, reduce the carbon footprint though neighborhood-based conservation and restoration projects; and support economic security for families by facilitating access to resources and dollars.

“We know that many folks are eager to give back. We’ve seen it,” continued First Lady Obama. “They are eager to be part of this nation’s recovery and renewal…As hard examples, applications to AmeriCorps have quadrupled. In the Peace Corps last year, there were three applications for every available position. 35,000 young people applied for just 4,000 spots in Teach for America…People across this country are ready to answer the call to serve. We just need to issue that call and provide them with the opportunities that are meaningful.”

President Obama Calls on Americans to Serve

(Washington D.C) -- President Obama called on all Americans to help in our nation’s recovery by volunteering in their communities this summer in a video message released today by the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The President’s call to summer service launches United We Serve, a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in addressing tough challenges facing the nation. The United We Serve initiative kicks off on June 22, and runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.

“This summer, I'm calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama in the video. “And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”

To make it easy for Americans to get involved, the President is urging Americans to visit Serve.gov, a website managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Visitors to Serve.gov can type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization’s projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors.

“The President has made a bold call to service at a time of great need and Americans are ready to respond,” said Nicola Goren, the Corporation’s Acting CEO. “Through United We Serve and Serve.gov, we hope to engage millions of Americans in service this summer and beyond.”

The initiative officially kicks off on June 22 at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, where 4,000 service and volunteer leaders are meeting to map out strategies to increase the impact of service in solving community problems.

The United We Serve initiative was conceived as a way to directly involve Americans in tackling problems in their communities. While any kind of volunteer service is encouraged, the effort focuses on four key areas education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal.

“The challenges we face are unprecedented in their size and scope, and we cannot rely on quick fixes or easy answers to put us on the road to recovery,” said President Obama. “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 effort comes at a time of strong need and momentum for service, as the economic downturn puts more Americans at risk and increases the demand for social services. At the same time, many nonprofit groups are experiencing a ‘compassion boom’ of increasing volunteers as Americans reach out to help their neighbors. United We Serve aims to tap this growing interest and focus it on addressing specific community needs.

The initiative builds on recent bipartisan efforts to expand service opportunities and invest in the civic infrastructure including the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act signed by President Obama on April 21. This landmark legislation reauthorizes and expands national service programs and strengthens social innovation and volunteer management in the nonprofit sector.

Recognizing that some organizations are stretched in their capacity to take on new volunteers, United We Serve also encourages individuals to organize their friends, families, and neighbors to develop their own service projects to meet pressing local needs. The Serve.gov website includes easy-to-use toolkits on projects such as organizing a book drive, creating a community garden, or conducting a home energy audit.

The initiative will culminate on September 11 in a National Day of Service and Remembrance. This will mark the first time the nation has observed 9/11 as a national day of service, an effort started several years ago by 9/11 family members that was included in the Serve America Act. The day will be marked by volunteer service, remembrance activities, and pledges to make service an ongoing commitment throughout the year.

To encourage participation in service this summer and beyond, the Serve.gov website features a new All for Good volunteer matching platform that allows people to search for volunteer opportunities based on location and interests. The site allows users to sign in with their primary social network and includes social media applications to share volunteer opportunities with friends and see what activities they are participating in.