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Mitchell Vorwerk is one of 1,600 AmeriCorps*NCCC members
who together have contributed more than 515,000 service hours
in the Gulf Region since hurricane Katrina.
(Photo by Morgan Carey)
AmeriCorps St. Louis member Adam Rose
and Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service Executive
Director Marsha Kelly handle one of 12,000 Hotline calls
received (as of Sept. 30, 2005).
(Photo provided by the Mississippi
Commission for Volunteer Service. Photo by Eyd Kazery)
AmeriCorps alumni traveled to Biloxi,
Mississippi to serve alongside current members during AmeriCorps
Alums Month of Service campaign.
(Photo by Morgan Carey)
Visit the Youth Policy Action Center
for up to the minute alerts on national service and other
youth issues.
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Action Center
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| Engage Your Members of Congress
From the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act to the approval of historic funding levels for the Corporation for National and Community Service, 2009 was a landmark year for service. But we cannot let this momentum disappear. Communities across America continue to face pressing challenges, and nonprofit organizations need human capital to help them provide critical assistance. National service is a powerful and proven resource that helps build the capacity of community agencies and nonprofits while allowing Americans to share in the responsibility of seeing us through these difficult times.
As Congress begins work on FY 2011 appropriations, it is important to reach out to our elected officials and share with them stories of impact and relevant data from programs operating in their states and districts. Please refer to the sections below to learn more about contacting and interacting with your Members of Congress. Take advantage of District Work Periods to invite them to visit programs and participate in service events, and attend town hall meetings held during these recess times. Write and call Members’ local and Washington, DC offices with updates on your projects and outcomes. Through this outreach and direct experience, our legislators gain better understanding of the power and potential of service in our communities and country.
Click on the following links to learn more about reaching out to your elected officials:
Call/Write
Your Member of Congress
Contact your congressional representation, and urge them to fund the Corporation for National and Community Service at the President’s requested level ($1.42 billion) in fiscal year 2011. This is especially important if your legislator sits on the Appropriations Committee in the House or Senate, which you can find out here.
Click
here for instructions and talking points for contacting your elected officials about funding for service and volunteering. We must regularly contact all our elected officials to update them on our programs and ask for their loyal support. They have tough decisions to make, and they must balance many competing priorities. Therefore it is important that they hear from concerned citizens about their legislative priorities. |
Invite
Your Elected Official
to Visit Your Program
Engaging our public leaders in service is a wonderful
way to build support for national service and convey
the impact that your program is having on your community. We
hope that you will contact your public leaders, including
your mayor, governor, city council members, and Members
of Congress, and invite them to visit your program
or participate in a day of service.
111th Congress, 2nd Session (2010) – Tentative Recess Schedule:
December 23 (2009) - January 8 |
District Work Period |
January 1 |
New Year’s Day |
January 18 |
Martin Luther King Day |
February 15 |
Presidents Day (Washington’s Birthday) |
February 15 - 20 |
District Work Period |
March 29 - April 9 |
District Work Period |
May 31 |
Memorial Day |
May 31 - June 4 |
District Work Period |
July 4 |
Independence Day |
July 5 |
Independence Day (observed) |
July 5 - 9 |
District Work Period |
August 9 - September 10 |
District Work Period |
September 6 |
Labor Day |
October 8 |
Targeted Adjournment Date |
October 11 |
Columbus Day |
November 11 |
Veterans Day |
November 25 |
Thanksgiving Day |
December 24 |
Christmas Day (observed) |
December 25 |
Christmas Day |
- Click
here for tips on how to schedule a visit with
an elected official
- Click
here for tips on promoting your service day to
the media
Please help us keep track of how many Members participate
in site visits by emailing info@voicesforservice.org or
calling 202-742-7374 once participation is confirmed. We
would also love to receive a copy of any photos you
take with your Members of Congress. Photos can
be emailed to the address above. |
Attend
a Town Hall Meeting
You can directly share your concerns with Congress
about national service funding by attending a town
hall meeting in your community. Members of Congress
often hold public meetings in their communities when
Congress is not in session. The meetings occur at community
centers, schools, religious institutions, and other
public spaces, allowing voters to share their views
and concerns directly to their elected officials.
Contact your Representative and Senator’s local
district offices to find out when they are holding
a town hall meeting in your area. To prepare for the
meeting click
here to read a Guide to Town Hall Meetings. |
Help Grow the National Service
Congressional Caucus in the
House and Senate
You can help build bipartisan support for national service by encouraging your elected officials to join the National Service Congressional Caucus. The National Service Congressional Caucus was established in both the House and the Senate to promote the growth and advancement of national service. Caucus members work to educate their congressional colleagues about the impact and potential of national service.
The leadership of the National Service Congressional Caucus in both the House and the Senate have issued Dear Colleague letters inviting their peers to join the Caucus. You can take action to support this effort:
- Click here to review the current members of the National Service Congressional Caucus and determine if your elected officials are already members. Don’t forget to thank those who have already joined.
- Visit your elected officials in Washington, DC and deliver a copy of the House or Senate letter that invites legislators to join the Caucus.
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Write to the members of your congressional delegation, tell them about your interest in expanding national service, and ask them to join the National Service Caucus. Click here for a template you can use to write your legislators.
- Call your elected officials today and ask if they have joined the National Service Congressional Caucus.
If you need help determining who represents your district visit www.congress.org. |
Write
to Your Local Paper
Locate instructions for how to write to the Opinion
Editor of your paper. Instructions often appear on
the Opinion page of the newspaper or you can visit
the newspaper’s website.
You can then write your own Letter to the Editor or
Op-Ed. Write about your personal experience with national
service programs and call for elected officials to
support full funding for national service. It is best
to be specific about recent legislation (see Legislative
Updates) and what action you want taken. |
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