President George W. Bush will meet Esther Ford when he arrives in Miami, Florida, on Friday, August 27, 2004. Ford, an American citizen originally from Cuba, is an active volunteer with the Salvation Army and recently returned from a week in Lee County, Florida, where she helped to serve 3,000 meals in three days to victims of Hurricane Charley.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and he created USA Freedom Corps to help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. Since March 2002, President Bush has met with more than 300 individuals around the country, like Ford, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

For the past 15 years Ford has been a volunteer with the Salvation Army. So far this year, she has volunteered 600 hours. Ford is a member of the Salvation Army’s First Strike Team that serves as first responders in emergency situations. She works in the canteen preparing and serving meals to victims of floods, tornados, and hurricanes. In addition, Ford volunteers with the Salvation Army’s Apple Tree and Angel Tree programs providing school supplies and holiday gifts to underprivileged children.

USA Freedom Corps has launched “A Call to Summer Service,” an initiative to encourage Americans to spend a part of their summer in volunteer service. Through “A Call to Summer Service,” citizens are reminded that summer is an excellent time to answer the President’s Call to Service, strengthen their communities, and extend the compassion and greatness of America. Interested volunteers can find ideas for summer volunteering and information on how to get started at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

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