President George W. Bush will meet Brenda Ross, a Little Rock native who is currently an AmeriCorps VISTA member, when he arrives in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday, June 3rd. In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service, and will recognize Ross as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

Ross's work with AmeriCorps is part of a longstanding commitment to service cultivated by her family, who volunteered with their church and helped local seniors in need. Ross is formerly an employee of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, but she also volunteered her time as a probation officer and youth mentor with Pulaski County Juvenile Services and as a lay therapist with the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect program before joining AmeriCorps. Ross's AmeriCorps VISTA assignment is with the Arkansas Foodbank Network. There she has worked passionately on the "Kids Cafés" project, a program that provides a late afternoon/evening meal for children through the local Boys and Girls Clubs.

Through the Kids Cafés, Ross also works with the Cooperative Extension Service, a part the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to bring nutrition and hygiene classes to the Boys and Girls Clubs. Ross also serves as a mentor and role model to many of the children who use the Cafés, encouraging them to stay in school and make healthy life decisions. Ross will complete her second year of AmeriCorps service in August, and hopes to continue volunteering to help others by working with the local literacy council.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the 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 on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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