Washington, D.C. —The nation’s 61.2 million volunteers will be honored in events across the nation as part of National Volunteer Week, April 15-22.

“The optimism and determination of our country’s volunteers reflect the true spirit and strength of our nation. My administration encourages Americans to seize the opportunity to help someone in need,” said President Bush in a proclamation issued yesterday celebrating National Volunteer Week.

The proclamation kicks off a week of volunteer service projects and special recognition events to thank America’s volunteers. Events will involve Americans of all ages and backgrounds and are aimed at thanking America’s volunteers and encouraging more to get involved. Americans who want to volunteer are encouraged to visit http://www.volunteer.gov to find a volunteer opportunity in their community.

National Volunteer Week began in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing an annual celebration of volunteering. Every president since has signed a proclamation promoting the week. The 2007 theme is "Inspire By Example" because it reflects the power volunteers have to inspire the people they help, as well as, to inspire others to serve.

To kick off the week, the Corporation for National and Community Servicewill release Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life report on Monday, April 16. The second annual report gives a detailed breakdown of America’s volunteering demographics, habits, and patterns by state and region and ranks states on various measure of volunteering. For the first time, the study also includes a Civic Life index to gauge the level of volunteering; neighborhood engagement; voting; and civic and nonprofit infrastructure by state.

In honor of their service to their communities and our country, thousands of volunteers will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award, presented by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Council is charged with recognizing the important contributions Americans of all ages are making within their communities through service and civic engagement.

“This week we thank America’s most valuable assets – our volunteers. From schools and shelters to hospitals and hotlines, volunteers are essential to our nation’s social and economic well-being,” said Corporation CEO David Eisner. “As we pay tribute, we must redouble our efforts to engage more Americans in serving their communities and country.”

The Corporation for National and Community Service is the nation’s largest grantmaker supporting service and volunteering. Last year, participants in the Corporation’s Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs provided more than 218 million hours of service and mobilized an additional 1.8 million community volunteers. The Corporation is working with President Bush’s USA Freedom and a broad-based coalition of nonprofit, corporate, and government leaders to increase the number of volunteers in America to 75 million by the year 2010.

Also next week, millions of youth will participate in the 19th Annual National & Global Youth Service Day on April 20-22, 2007. The goals of the day are to mobilize youth to identify and address the needs of their communities through service, to support youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and to educate the public, the media, and policymakers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders.

National Volunteer Week and National and Global Youth Service Day events across the country include:

Arizona—The second annual National Service Day at the Legislature will include a recognition event for all Arizona national service projects during the legislative session, meetings between volunteers and state representatives, and an opportunity to exhibit project materials and educate legislators on the impact that volunteers have on communities. In addition, the Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism will honor local volunteers.

District of Columbia— On Monday, medallions honoring four outstanding Americans will be added to The Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway. Later in the week, more than 20,000 D.C. area youth will volunteer as part of National and Global Youth Service Day. Youth who have completed at least 50 hours of service will be honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Students at George Washington University are sponsoring a Senior Prom to honor and celebrate senior citizens. The DC Jewish Teen Leaders Fellowship project is working with the DC Public Schools to rehabilitate a playground and the Student Conservation Association is sponsoring an Earth Day tree planting, clean-up, and other environmental activities at Anacostia Park.

Georgia and South Carolina—Residents of the counties along the Savannah River will hold hands to span the bridge that connects the two states; the mayors of Augusta, GA, and North Augusta, SC, will walk the bridge shaking hands with volunteers along the way. In the middle of the bridge will present proclamations honoring community volunteers.

Ohio—Sponsored by the Bonner Scholars Program and Community Service Work-Study Program of Oberlin College, students will spend half the day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Lorain, OH. The other half of the day will be spent on a “toxic tour,” exploring some of the heavy industry sites in Lorain to learn about their impact no the local economy and the environment.

Wisconsin—AmeriCorps members will circle the state in a school bus in R.I.S.E. Up Wisconsin!—the Ride to Inspire Student Engagement. The AmeriCorps members will highlight the inspiring work of active youth and empower young people to work for change, become involved in their communities, and make their voices heard.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, the Corporation provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities. Together with USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to foster a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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