On May 12, 2006, President George W. Bush presented the President’s Volunteer Service Award to five outstanding individuals during a ceremony marking Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the East Room of the White House.  Sister Theresa Pham helped organize the relief efforts of the Vietnamese Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. After hearing that hurricane evacuees in Houston needed shelter, she and other sisters converted their multi-purpose hall into living space. They shared their dining hall and kitchen, where food was provided for the evacuees. In total, Sister Theresa helped house and shelter approximately 300 evacuees of Hurricane Katrina for four weeks and approximately 120 evacuees of Hurricane Rita for two weeks. The Sisters provided spiritual comfort through daily morning mass and evening prayer and directed the children to local schools and tutored them in the evenings. To help the evacuees reestablish their lives, Sister Theresa and the other sisters helped find them local apartments.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. Americans are responding to the President’s Call to Service. Go to www.volunteer.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area or to find more information about service programs, including national service programs such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Citizen Corps. USA Freedom Corps is also highlighting youth volunteer service. Visit www.volunteerkids.gov for games and ideas designed to show how America's youth are making a difference.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was created at the President’s direction by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The Award is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. For more information about the Award, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

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