United We Serve
With the ink still wet on the dotted line of the Serve America Act, President Obama just announced a new summer service initiative: United We Serve. The program is a summer-long call to action for people young and old across the country. In his video remarks,which can be viewed below, the President explains that the government can invest in and create programs for economic recovery, but it is volunteers who will inevitably sustain these programs in the long run. President Obama went on to say that the initiative will focus on five key areas: Healthcare, Energy Independence, Education, and Community & Economic Renewal.
Kicking off on June 22nd and ending on September 11th, the National Day of Service, the ‘United We Serve’ summer service initiative will help to encourage and foster new volunteers by providing opportunities on the Serve.gov website. Here, you can register your own organization so that other people can volunteer to help you, or record a volunteer project idea you may have. The website has everything you need to get started. President Obama ended his remarks with these powerful words: “Because America’s new foundation will be built one community at a time — and it starts with you.”
Click here to read the full transcript and learn more about Serve.gov
My hope is that my experiences will inspire others to share their own stories, ask questions, and, by taking away the unknown, encourage those who may be apprehensive about trying something new.