FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, December 20, 2003
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The White House - Office of the Press Secretary
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President's Radio Address |
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Multimedia |
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080917084627im_/http://freedomcorps.gov/media/images/media_20020730_01.gif) |
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THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Every year during the holidays, families across
America gather to celebrate our blessings -- and we unite to share those
blessings with others. Particularly in this time of giving, our thoughts turn to
fellow citizens who face hardship, or illness, or loneliness. Their burden often
seems even greater at Christmastime, yet the hope of this season was meant for
them, as well.
The American people see these needs -- and they are responding, as always,
with great generosity. Just this week, a government report found that more than
63 million Americans volunteered over the past year -- about 4 million more than
in the year before. On average, volunteers gave 52 hours -- more than a full
week of work -- of their year in service to others. This increase in
volunteering is evidence of the new culture of service we are building in
America, especially among young people.
Nearly two years ago, I created the USA Freedom Corps to continue the
momentum generated by the countless acts of kindness we saw after the attacks of
September the 11th, 2001. I asked every person in America to commit 4,000 hours
over a lifetime -- or about 100 hours a year -- to serving neighbors in need.
The response was immediate and enthusiastic, and has remained strong. Over
75,000 service organizations now work with USA Freedom Corps, and a growing
percentage of Americans have answered the call to service.
Americans are volunteering in every region of the country, and in nearly
every part of the world. Many communities have formed Citizens Corps Councils to
train neighborhoods in emergency response. About 50,000 people are enrolled in
AmeriCorps, which carries out vital work in education, the environment, and
homeland security. And the Peace Corps expanded to over 7,500 volunteers in 2003
-- the highest level of participation in almost three decades.
Every time I travel in America, I have the honor to meet some of our
country's most dedicated volunteers. They include people like Phuong Nguyen, a
high school student in Denver who gives hours of her free time to lead service
projects for the American Red Cross; and Ana Cooper of Miami, who helps senior
citizens with daily needs like grocery shopping; and Bill Sellers, an 83 year
old man from Houston who has dedicated almost half his life to feeding the
hungry. Some of the men and women I have met are members of the armed forces,
who volunteer time in their communities on top of their service to the nation.
And next week, I look forward to helping a generous group from Virginia
distribute Angel Tree gifts to children whose parents are in prison.
America's 63 million volunteers are setting a fine example for our nation.
They are meeting essential needs in their communities -- and they know the
fulfillment that only comes from serving a cause greater than self. And many
volunteers got started in the same way: because someone asked them.
This holiday season, I ask every American to look for a challenge in your own
community, and step forward to lend a hand. You can learn about thousands of
service opportunities by visiting the USA Freedom Corps website,
usafreedomcorps.gov. Many Americans volunteer with their families, allowing them
to spend time together while improving the lives of others. And if you find a
need that no one else is meeting, you might want to start a group of your own.
The high level of volunteerism in our country is encouraging -- though not
surprising. America is a compassionate and generous land. With their good works,
volunteers are living out the spirit of this season. And year round they are
showing the heart and soul of our people -- which is the greatest strength of
our nation.
Thank you for listening. END
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