President George W. Bush will meet Bob Carlone and Joe Henjum when he arrives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday, October 12, 2004. Carlone, 75, and Henjum, 70, founded The Home Front Cares program to provide support for military families in the Pikes Peak region whose loved ones are deployed.

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 Carlone and Henjum, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

Carlone and Henjum are both veterans of the Air Force and the Vietnam War. They created The Home Front Cares program which solicits funds, goods, and services from the community and distributes them to needy families through non-profit and support organizations that serve the military population. More than 500 local military families have received financial assistance or goods and services for emergencies that are not covered by any existing local, state, or federal program. Recipients are referred through military Family Support Centers that have verified the needs. The Home Front Cares program has helped with everything from vehicle and home repairs, to long-distance phone bills and a wheelchair ramp for a disabled child.

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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