General Collin Powell, USA (Ret.) and Alma Powell, Chair of America’s Promise Alliance honored with the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Lifetime Leadership Award

On February 10, 2009, more than 600 friends and supporters of national service gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate and honor elected officials and private citizens who have worked to protect and expand national service opportunities for all Americans. The annual Friends of National Service Awards Reception was presented by the Comcast Corporation and Green For All and co-hosted by Voices for National Service and The Corps Network.

General Collin Powell and Alma Powell, Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), State Farm Insurance Companies CEO Edward Rust were all present to accept their respective awards and share their vision for the future of national service. Secretary Susan Stern of New York’s Commission on National and Community Service accepted an award on behalf of Governor David Paterson who addressed the audience by video. 

During the event, ServiceNation’s Declaration of Service video was presented, asking guests to renew their pledge of service to their communities and country.

• Click here to view the Declaration of Service video.

For images from the event and the full list of honorees, click here.

	Wendy Spencer, Yolanda Londano, and Aileen Pruitt of Volunteer Florida greet David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service

Events sponsored by:

During two days of events presented by the Comcast Corporation, more than 300 supporters of national service gathered in Washington, DC to draw attention to the impact of national service programs in America. 

On September 24, Voices for National Service held a congressional reception to celebrate national service. Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), Kerry Knott, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs for the Comcast Corporation, and David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service were among the guest speakers. Katie Graham, an AmeriCorps VISTA alumna from Iowa, shared her service experience.

• Click here to see pictures from the congressional reception.

On September 25, representatives of the national service field, including alumni, program staff, service partners, and corporate sponsors, visited with more than 150 congressional offices to educate Members and their staff on national service legislation and the federal investment in AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and Senior Corps.  The group brought evidence of programs’ performance and impact from 39 different states and 65 organizations.  The meetings on Capitol Hill were a critical opportunity to share with Congress how national service participants strengthen communities by tutoring and mentoring children, improving access to health care, restoring the environment, mobilizing volunteers, and providing many other vital services.

The day began with a legislative briefing about pending national service bills by staff representatives from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the offices of Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). This year Congress showed renewed interest in expanding the federal service programs, introducing a series of bills to grow the existing programs, to create new service initiatives and to raise the value of the AmeriCorps education award. 

While working to grow bipartisan support for national service, Hill Day participants worked to educate Congress about national service funding and pending legislation, including:

• S.3487, Serve America Act
• S.3037, AmeriCorps Together Improving Our Nation (ACTION) Act
• S.3480, Encore Service Act
• S.1128, Summer of Service Act
• S.3479, Semester of Service Act
• S.3027, Coaching Our Adolescents for College Heights Act
• S.3028, Senior Year Community Service Act
• H.R.5563, The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act
• H.R.6407, Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act

For more information, click here to download the Hill Day document distributed to Members of Congress.