WHEREAS, since its creation in 1994 the AmeriCorps national service program has proven to be a highly effective way to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in meeting a wide range of community needs and promoting the ethic of service and volunteering; and

WHEREAS, each year AmeriCorps, including AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Conservation Corps), provides opportunities for 75,000 citizens across the nation, including over 2,000 in Illinois, to give back to our communities, our state, and our country; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps was designed to give a key role to states in deciding where resources should be directed to meet state and local needs through Governor-appointed state service commissions, including the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps has invested more than $5 billion dollars to support tens of thousands of nonprofit, community, educational, and faith-based community groups. Those grants have leveraged hundreds of millions of additional funds and in-kind donations from others sources; and

WHEREAS, since 1994 more than 540,000 men and women across the nation, including nearly 19,000 from Illinois, have taken the AmeriCorps pledge to “get things done for America” by becoming AmeriCorps members. Last year AmeriCorps members recruited and supervised more than 1.7 million community volunteers, demonstrating AmeriCorps’ value as a powerful catalyst and force multiplier; and

WHEREAS, those AmeriCorps members have served a total of more than 705 million hours nationwide, including over 25 million served by residents from Illinois, helping to improve the lives of our state’s most vulnerable citizens, strengthen our educational system, protect our environment, and contribute to our public safety, and;

WHEREAS, in return for their service AmeriCorps members have earned more than $1.4 billion in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to use to further their own educational advancement —including more than $52.2 million that has been awarded to residents of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, even after their terms of service end AmeriCorps members often remain engaged in our communities as volunteers, teachers, public servants, and nonprofit leaders; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps Week, designated as May 11-18 this year, is an opportune time for the people of Illinois to salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their powerful impact, thank all of AmeriCorps' community partners in Illinois who make the program possible, and bring more Americans into service. During this week the Serve Illinois Commission, in conjunction with the state’s AmeriCorps programs and their LeaderCorps representatives, have collaborated to organize statewide service day events in celebration of AmeriCorps Week:

THEREFORE, I, Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim May 11-18, 2008 as AMERICORPS WEEK in Illinois, and urge citizens to thank AmeriCorps members and alumni for their service and to find ways to give back to their communities.

Governor Rod Blagojevich

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