Dear Colleagues,

I hope you had a peaceful holiday season and that your new year is off to good start.

I want to let you that we have finalized the dates for the first-ever National AmeriCorps Week. It will be May 13-20, 2007.

AmeriCorps Week is an exciting opportunity for AmeriCorps members, alums, programs, partners and friends to come together to highlight the impact made by corps members in communities throughout our nation, to mark the historic milestone of the 500,000th AmeriCorps member, and to ask Americans to make a commitment to service. Our goals are to:

• Demonstrate the impact and scope of AmeriCorps across America
• Motivate Americans to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities
• Unite AmeriCorps members, alums, and programs in a national celebration of service
• Thank AmeriCorps members and alums for their service
• Salute the community partners that make AmeriCorps possible

Originally we thought that mid-March was a good time for AmeriCorps Week, but given the proximity to MLK Day, and after hearing from some of you that you would like more time to plan your activities, we think the May timeframe will work better. Also, the May date comes after the grant process has concluded so AmeriCorps program staff and grant announcements can be part of AmeriCorps Week events.

You will be hearing a lot more about AmeriCorps Week soon. Later this month a comprehensive toolkit will be posted on the AmeriCorps website with project ideas, promotional items, media materials, and more. At this point we just want you to save the date and start thinking about what you might do to mark this special week.

If you’d like to be part of a working group for AmeriCorps Week, please let me know and we will get you connected.

Yours in Service -

Kristin McSwain
Director
AmeriCorps State/National