About AmeriCorps Week >

AmeriCorps Week 2007 Highlights

The first-ever AmeriCorps Week was a major success. Thanks to the tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members, alums, staff, partners, and friends who joined in celebrating AmeriCorps reaching 500,000 members and recruiting more Americans into service.

From building homes and delivering meals to restoring parks and signing up volunteers, tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members and alums made the first-ever AmeriCorps Week a major success. From Georgia to Guam and Arizona to Alaska, members and alums celebrated AmeriCorps reaching a historic milestone of 500,000 members by doing what they do best – service. They also took time to thank their community partners and to recruit more Americans into service. Millions of Americans learned about AmeriCorps through school presentations, recruitment fairs, service projects, and media coverage during the week. AmeriCorps Week was also a time to say “Thank You” to AmeriCorps members and alums. The President, Congress, Governors, Mayors, sports stars, actors, and people who’ve benefited from the helping hands of an AmeriCorps member all took time to salute the men and women of AmeriCorps for their dedication, accomplishments, and patriotism.

Fast Facts

• More than 200 events in all 50 states, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C.
   
• AmeriCorps Week resolution passed by U.S. House of Representatives
   
• Proclamations from 23 Governors and Washington D.C. Mayor
   
• Widespread media coverage including Good Morning America, Fox News, CBS Early Show, and 55+ newspapers
   
• AmeriCorps’ 500,000 members have provided more than 637 million hours of service worth $11.9 billion dollars

Project Highlights

This is a partial listing of the more than 200 AmeriCorps Week events that took place across the nation.

• More than 500 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps members from across the country built 20 Habitat homes in one week in Gulfport, Miss. with Gulf Coast-area families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
   
• AmeriCorps Week Disability Empowerment Day was celebrated on May 17th. Dozens of stories of service from AmeriCorps members with disabilities were distributed to more than 10,000 people through DisabilityInfo.gov and other channels.
   
• The Corps Network’s Rural Response AmeriCorps programs in Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, Illinois celebrated AmeriCorps Week through service projects, service hour pledge drives, and specialized trainings.
   
• In Kentucky, Getting Things Done for the Homeless, an AmeriCorps program, celebrated AmeriCorps Week with a community service project and a celebratory dinner.
   
• In Maine, AmeriCorps members and alumni worked with the United Way of York County to help families in that community that were impacted by floods.
   
• The Massachusetts Service Alliance led a celebration of AmeriCorps Week in a reflection-filled day that culminated in an AmeriCorps Idol event.
   
• Arizona celebrated AmeriCorps Week with a proclamation from Governor Napolitano and AmeriCorps Night with the Diamondbacks professional baseball team.
   
• The state of Michigan’s AmeriCorps members participated in a nonprofit superconference in Lansing and did “100 Hours of Power” service projects in their local communities throughout AmeriCorps Week.
   
• In partnership with other non-profit agencies in the city, New York City Coalition Against Hunger organized 13 volunteer events to take place in celebration of AmeriCorps Week.
   
• Drawing together 200 participants from Oregon and Washington, the National Service Symposium in Portland focused on the AmeriCorps experience through the lens of the literary, visual, and performing arts.
   
• Rhode Island celebrated AmeriCorps Week through recognition breakfasts, a forum, environmental service projects, and AmeriCorps Night at the PawSox minor league baseball game.
   
• In West Virginia, AmeriCorps members held an outdoor street fair for families and the community to get to know AmeriCorps and the organizations that support the program.
   
• The Colorado AmeriCorps Alums rallied on the capital in Denver to celebrate AmeriCorps Week and to look ahead to the future impact that national service in Colorado could have.

What People Are Saying

• “I am grateful for all those involved with AmeriCorps for your dedication to a cause greater than self. Your compassionate efforts demonstrate the great character of our country and inspire others to build a more hopeful society.” -- President George W. Bush
   
• “AmeriCorps is the embodiment of the spirit of volunteerism and service to our country. AmeriCorps volunteers are unflagging, unflinching and determined to make a difference. We are so grateful for all the hard work that they do.” -- Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
   
• "AmeriCorps members have been providing our nation's communities with vital service and emergency response assistance in disasters since 1994. I hope that National AmeriCorps Week will help focus attention on the good work they do and on their fine example of citizenship." -- U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
   
• “AmeriCorps members are a vital part of our communities. With very little funding, they leverage millions of dollars and perform crucial work, whether in a classroom, in a National Park or rebuilding houses in the Gulf Coast.” -- National Service Congressional Caucus Co-Chair Doris Matsui (D-CA)
   
• “I encourage all Californians to join me in commending AmeriCorps volunteers for their dedication to their communities. Their inspiring examples of service are a great motivation for all of us to give back to our neighborhoods and to everyone in need.” -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA)
   
• "From tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged youth to helping communities respond to disasters, AmeriCorps deserves our commendation for their outstanding civic service.” -- Governor Matt Blunt (D-MO)
   
• “AmeriCorps members score points behind the scenes – as teachers in underserved schools, as mentors, as disaster recovery workers, and promoting volunteering and service,. I join the rest of the nation in thanking AmeriCorps members who keep getting things done for America.” -- Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Government Officials

Government officials on the federal, state, and local level joined in AmeriCorps Week projects on an unprecedented scale:

• President George W. Bush welcomed USA Freedom Corps Director Desiree Sayle, Corporation for National and Community Service Board Chair Stephen Goldsmith and CEO David Eisner, AmeriCorps Director Kristin McSwain, and 100 Washington D.C. area AmeriCorps members to the White House.
   
• The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.Res. 385, which “acknowledges the significant accomplishments of AmeriCorps members, alumni and community partners; recognizes the important contribution to the lives of our citizens by AmeriCorps members; and encourages citizens of all ages to participate in service opportunities in their communities.” A similar Senate resolution had 30 cosponsors.
   
• Governor’s proclamations were issued from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.
   
• Numerous proclamations were signed by local elected officials including Mayors and city councils.