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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, November 21, 2007 |
CONTACT: Sandy Scott |
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate acted last Friday to confirm five nominees to serve on the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Two of the nominees -- Julie Fisher Cummings and former U.S. Representative Tom Osborne, are new to the board. The other three -- Mark Gearan, Alan Solomont, and Donna Williams, are returning members. All were nominated by President Bush. The bipartisan 15-member board sets overall policy and direction for the Corporation and its programs. The Corporation is the nation’s largest grant maker for volunteering and service, engaging more than two million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, and Learn and Serve America programs. The Corporation works closely with USA Freedom Corps, a White House office dedicated to expanding volunteer service in America. “We’re delighted the Senate has confirmed these outstanding individuals,” said board chair Stephen Goldsmith. “These are strong leaders who will provide key insight and direction as we work to strengthen the Corporation and engage more Americans in service to their communities.” The appointments come at a time of strong positive momentum for the agency and the larger volunteer sector. Volunteering is at historically high levels, with more than 61 million Americans giving an estimated 8.1 billion hours of service in 2006. The two million participants in the Corporation’s programs are providing results-driven service through tens of thousands of nonprofit and community organizations, addressing America’s toughest problems of poverty, illiteracy, gangs, and disasters and acting as a powerful catalyst and force-multiplier for community volunteering. On the management side, the agency just received the most successful audit opinion in its 14-year history, capping a series of improvements to cut costs, increase efficiency, reduce burdens, and improve customer service. The new board members are:
The returning members are:
To spur further growth in the ranks and effectiveness of America’s volunteers, the Corporation’s Board approved a five-year strategic plan in 2005 that embraces bold national goals in four specific focus areas: mobilizing more volunteers, ensuring a brighter future for all of America’s youth, engaging students in communities, and harnessing baby boomers’ experience. The plan includes specific targets for the country to reach by 2010, such as 75 million Americans volunteering, 3 million more at-risk youth with mentors, 3 million at-risk youth serving others in their communities, service-learning in half of all K-12 schools, and 3 million more baby boomers in service. Last May, the board directed the agency’s CEO to work with OMB to add a fifth strategic initiative on disaster preparedness and recovery to the plan.
The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Providing service opportunities for millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, Corporation programs include Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. For more information, visit nationalservice.gov. ### |
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VIEWED ON: Friday, January 09, 2009 | |
URL: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=862 |
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