October 2008 - Feature Articles

• ICP Participates in the ServiceNation Summit
• ICP Interns Participate in Voices for National Service Hill Day
  

ICP Participates in the ServiceNation Summit

By Jean Manney, ICP Program Associate

As a member of the Organizing Committee for ServiceNation, ICP participated in the ServiceNation Summit in New York City, September 11-12, 2008. Over 500 leaders from NGO, universities, foundations, businesses, and government gathered to celebrate the potential of citizen service and to put forth a policy agenda for the next presidential administration on expanding volunteer opportunities for all Americans as a means for addressing social challenges. Susan Stroud, ICP Executive Director, attended the Summit while Jean Manney, ICP Program Associate, got a behind-the-scenes experience as a volunteer for the event. 

On the evening of September 11^th, participants gathered at Columbia University for the Presidential Candidates’ Forum in eager anticipation of the first joint public appearance by Senators McCain and Obama since they received their respective parties’ nominations. National service is one issue that both candidates support, and the Forum, where each candidate presented his views on service, set the stage for a bi-partisan event that showed how the role of service is common ground for all Americans.

The Forum began with reflections on September 11^th, recalling a time when Americans came together as one community and recognizing that the spirit of service has been carried forward.  There has been a nation-wide push by the service community, led by the families of victims, in recent years to recognize September 11^th as a national day of service in the United States in commemoration of the World Trade Center attack. It was for this reason that ServiceNation selected September 11^th as the beginning date for the Summit, as the significance of the day encompasses the Campaign’s vision for a future where all citizens unite in service for their country and communities. 

Both Senators Obama and McCain recognized that there are many ways to serve your country, and the candidates themselves exemplify this. McCain served his country through military service and is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, and Obama served as a community organizer to empower and improve the lives of other citizens.  The Democratic and Republican candidates differ on the particulars of the role that government should play in national service, but both recognized that there is such a role for government in encouraging and providing opportunities for Americans to serve. 

The ServiceNation Summit the following day was an event filled with inspiring individuals and leaders from start to finish.   New York City Mayor Bloomberg opened the Summit and spoke of our collective responsibility to help one another.  First Lady Laura Bush described the expansion of service opportunities including Volunteers for Prosperity, Freedom Corps, increased funding for Peace Corps, and the inclusion of faith-based groups. 

Perhaps the most inspirational part of the Summit was hearing from individuals who had volunteered in various national and community service programs.  A young man who volunteered with City Year talked about service as a life changing experience and how he has dedicated his time to mentoring and engaging young people so that they do not make the same mistakes he did.  The Summit was also honored to have a volunteer from the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1940, who described how the $5 a month that the young men earned and $25 a month that was sent to their families was a lifesaving program.  He spoke of how they had been the ‘Greatest Generation” and had earned their place in history, but that now it was time for a new generation of service.  Finally, another volunteer spoke of his experience in Youth Build, through which he overcame the challenges of street life through the education and job training and service opportunities in the Youth Build program.  He spoke of being able to transform his life and with the AmeriCorps Education Award, became the first in his family to earn an Associate’s degree.  Before he only knew of membership and support from gangs, but now recognizes the need for youth to have more positive opportunities to serve. 

The Summit also saw involvement from Congress as Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT) and Caroline Kennedy, representing her uncle Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), announced the Serve America Act of 2008. This bi-partisan piece of legislation has already gained the support of both Senators Obama and McCain, both of whom pledged to sign the bill as President.   The Serve America Act aims to broaden government support and commitment to national service.  While it provides opportunities for all Americans across age, sector and experience, there is a special focus on opportunities for young people, acknowledging the potential for a lifetime of service if youth are involved early in their lives.  Senator Hatch said, “With the Serve America Act of 2008, we are making a commitment of $5 billion over five years, and we will offset the cost of the bill to be fiscally responsible. Like you, like Service Nation, we believe an investment in the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of our people is a pretty good bet. We know we will see a good return on that investment.”

After a series of workshops that focused on service as a strategy to address particular issues, and the effective utilization of volunteers ranging in age groups from Millennials to seniors, the Summit concluded with keynote addresses by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  As participants were encouraged to sign the ServiceNation “Declaration of Service,” Senator Clinton spoke of Americans’ commitment to service, noting that the Declaration of Independence was America’s first declaration of service.  Governor Schwarzenegger closed the Summit in a video address in which he spoke about becoming the first governor to create a cabinet-level position for service and volunteering. 

ICP Interns Participate in Voices for National Service Hill Day

By Elizabeth Brouwer, ICP Intern

On September 24-25, 2008, advocates for national service from around the country convened on Capitol Hill for the opportunity to educate and influence Congress about the need to expand opportunities for Americans to serve their country.  Organized by Voices for National Service, a coalition of national service programs founded in 2003 in response to major cuts in federal funding, the main purpose of the Capitol Hill Day Event was to raise awareness of national service’s importance throughout Congress. Two of ICP’s Fall 2008 interns, Elizabeth Brouwer and Natalya Twohill, were fortunate enough to participate in this exciting event.

Hill Day participants, representing American national service programs such as AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and Senior Corps, were asked to meet with their states’ representatives in Congress and share specific stories of their programs’ impact.  After sharing their own experiences, participants requested continued congressional support for federal service initiatives. These requests were of course tailored to the specific representative, and different points were emphasized depending on their state and political party.  Congressmen and women have many opportunities to support national service, such as by voting to reverse the downward trend in funding for national service programs, co-sponsoring the Kennedy-Hatch “Serve America Act” in the Senate or the Lewis-Porter bill in the house, and joining the bipartisan National Service Congressional Caucus. 

The Voices for National Service Hill Day Event brought together many of the brightest and most passionate advocates for national service. However, it is relevant to mention that it’s impact was dampened by unfortunate timing. The event coincided with the burgeoning U.S. financial crisis, causing many of the two days’ events, including the House Education and Labor Committee’s full committee hearing and several congressional office visits, to be cancelled due to emergency rescheduling.  It was telling that even at the legislative briefing, congressional staffers attributed their fatigue and slight lethargy to recent twenty-hour work days and a frantic mood permeating Congress. 

Despite these distractions, requests for action from national service participants themselves were spread across Capitol Hill in the hopes of bolstering federal backing.  To judge the success of Voices for National Service Hill Day, one will have to keep an eye on upcoming congressional activity, including the national service funding levels in the fiscal year 2009, the S.3487 Serve America Act vote in the Senate and the HR 6407 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act in the House of Representatives.