David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, will meet with Senior Corps participants and AmeriCorps members serving in the Des Moines area the morning of Nov. 10, prior to delivering the keynote address and presenting awards during a special recognition ceremony honoring the 2005 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees.

“At a rare moment of opportunity and responsibility for national service, Iowa is a standout,” Eisner said. “Some 40 percent of the population already volunteers and the state has been active in disaster relief in recent months, setting a standard for other states to follow.” That moment of opportunity includes tapping the volunteer potential of the baby boom generation as it reaches retirement age. The Corporation’s Senior Corps and AmeriCorps programs are focusing efforts on recruiting members of this generation, 77 million strong, to address the nation’s pressing social issues.

SCHEDULE

Nov. 10, 2005

8:45 a.m. - Site visits to Habitat for Humanity office and construction site in Des Moines to meet with AmeriCorps members and RSVP volunteers. Habitat office, 2341 2nd Avenue; construction site, 1527 12th Street.

Noon - Ceremony honoring Iowa volunteers at Sheraton West Des Moines; keynote address, “The Real Challenge for Volunteerism,” at 12:30

The Corporation engages more than 1.5 million Americans annually in community service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Last year, more than 23,000 Iowa residents volunteered in 65 national service projects across the state, including 8,600 Senior Corps volunteers, more than 300 AmeriCorps members, and 14,000 students in service-learning programs. They were supported by more than $7,200,000 in funds from the Corporation. 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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