President George W. Bush will meet Marcelo Chan when he arrives in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday, October 12, 2004. Chanis an active volunteer with MentorKids USA.

President Bush has called on all Americans to volunteer two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes, and hecreated USA Freedom Corpsto 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 Chan, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Chan has been a volunteer mentor for the past five years. Chan and his 14-year-old mentee meet at least once per week with the goal of improving the child’s academic skills, social attitudes, and relationships. MentorKids USA serves at-risk youth, between the ages of five and 18, who have an incarcerated parent, drug or alcohol problems, or who have been physically or sexually abused. Chan also volunteers as the coordinator for a refugee program at Word of Grace Church in Mesa. He helps refugees become established in the community by connecting them with church families who help them learn basic life skills and help them become acclimated to the area.

Through USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the Call to Service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities, and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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