(Washington, DC) The DC Commission on National and Community Service (DC-CNCS) has been selected by Youth Service America as a Lead Agency for the 16th Annual National Youth Service Day, April 16-18, 2004. The DC Commission joins 49 other Lead Agencies across the country in coordinating local, regional, or statewide celebrations of National Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world, promoting projects and events, coordinating volunteer recruitment, local media outreach, and hands-on participation by elected officials.
Last year in the District of Columbia, the DC Commission on National and Community Service mobilized more than 8,000 youth participants in 60 community service projects through a strong coalition of community partners. The Commission expects more than 10,000 youth and their families to volunteer for the weekend of service in 2004. Youth will be building houses, restoring schools, cleaning parks, and feeding the homeless. There will be a Youth Service Task Force comprised of young people from across the city to give their voices to the planning process. The success of National Youth Service Day in the District of Columbia is due to the significant sponsorship from the Freddie Mac Foundation and NIKE.
"The District of Columbia proves every year that our youth are committed to making a difference in our community through service," said Deborah Gist, Executive Director of DC-CNCS. "This year marks our third year as a Lead Agency, and we are confident that 2004 will be the largest, most effective youth service celebration our city has ever seen."
On National and Global Youth Service Day young people design and lead service-learning and civic engagement projects in areas ranging from voter registration and education, literacy and the environment, to Homeland Security preparedness, hunger, homelessness, and help for the elderly. National and Global Youth Service Day mobilizes millions of young people to address the needs of their communities, and educates the public, the media, and policymakers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders.
National Youth Service Day is coordinated on the national and global level by Youth Service America, in partnership with the National Youth Leadership Council and PARADE Magazine. Financial support for National and Global Youth Service Day is provided by: State Farm Companies Foundation, GM Foundation, Disney Inc., the Clay Aiken and the Bubel Aiken Foundation, AT&T Foundation, and the National Education Association.
About DC-CNCS
The mission of the DC Commission on National and Community Service (DC-CNCS) is to strengthen and promote the spirit of service in the District of Columbia through partnerships, national service and volunteerism. The Commission administers AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve programs in the District and facilitates collaboration among all national service programs. Under the DC Citizen Corps initiative, DC-CNCS provides citizens with volunteer opportunities to help their communities prepare for and respond to emergencies. DC-CNCS also leads Emergency Support Function (ESF) #15 Donations and Volunteer Management in the District's Emergency Response Plan. Other initiatives to promote civic engagement include the monthly Mayor's Community Service Award, National Youth Service Day, and the DC Service Conference.
For more information contact Kimberly Flowers, Manager of Outreach and Communications, at (202) 727-9461.