FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Apr 30, 2009

Dear Colleagues,

On April 21, 2009, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act into law, ushering in a new era of service and volunteering for our nation.

The Act charges the Corporation for National and Community Service and our partners to dramatically expand opportunities for Americans to serve, to focus on critical national issues, to be a catalyst for social innovation, and to support the nonprofit sector. The law both expands our existing programs and creates new initiatives to increase service opportunities and strengthen our civic infrastructure.

The Serve America Act goes into effect on October 1. We will be spending the coming weeks and months planning for implementation, and are very interested in getting your input as we move ahead. As the people who make service happen in communities everyday, you have vital insights about how we can make the most of the extraordinary opportunities presented by this new legislation. We also need your input as we develop the Corporation’s strategic plan for the next five years.

We are sponsoring a number of opportunities for public input over the next month, including listening sessions around the country, conference calls, and a web page for submitting your written comments.

The public listening sessions are as follows. Details and RSVP information are available by clicking on the links below:

* The May 20 listening session in Washington DC will take place as part of the Corporation’s public Board of Directors meeting.  This will be an abbreviated session following conclusion of other Board business.

We will be sending a follow-up email soon with some of the potential topics we want your input on, a schedule of conference calls, and details on how you can submit your comments online. Please check our Serve America Act page on http://www.nationalservice.gov for updates and background on the legislation.

Your perspectives are invaluable and our efforts will be much stronger with your views. We hope you will share your best thoughts and ideas.

In service,

Nicola Goren
Acting CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service to others a cornerstone of our national culture. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.