Next week more than 730 mayors, collectively representing nearly 100 million Americans in all 50 states, will join together to recognize the impact of national service participants in AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs who are making a difference in their communities.
The first-ever Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service on Tuesday, April 9, is being led by Cities of Service; the National League of Cities; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps.
“It is a testament to the effectiveness of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs that nearly one-third of Americans will have their mayor participating in this first-ever Day of Recognition,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. “We're proud to stand with this bipartisan group of mayors. These leaders are shining a bright light on the many ways AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers are improving neighborhoods and transforming lives across the country.”
As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages more than 5 million citizens in service at more than 70,000 locations in 8,500 cities across the country through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other programs.
“National service is a vital resource for America's cities,” Mayor Nutter said. “By unleashing the power of citizens, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs have a positive and lasting impact – making our cities better places to live.”
Participating mayors will make site visits, issue proclamations, and host roundtables and celebrations during the day. All events are designed to highlight how national service works for cities and focuses on three groups that benefit from the program: the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation.
The initiative has already gained support from a range of cities large and small, and a full list of participating mayors can be found on the CNCS website.