The holiday season moves quickly, transitioning from friends-and-family time at Thanksgiving to the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, we have the chance to remember the needs of others on Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving to elevate philanthropy and volunteering during the holiday season. This event is a fitting celebration for a country filled with generous people.

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Friends of the National World War II Memorial paid tribute to the more than 16 million men and women who served with the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II at a special Veterans Day event at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

World War II veteran Ewing H. Miller (pictured above right) delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. Miller served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945 as a B-24 heavy bomber pilot assigned to the 15th Air Force, 719 Squadron (The Flying Horsemen), which flew from a base in Italy. Nicknamed “Wing” by his fellow flyers, Miller flew more than 20 missions during the war. In February 1945, Miller’s plane was downed by a direct flack burst in the bomb bay, and he was the sole survivor. He spent the rest of the war as a POW.

Just one month after celebrating his 95th birthday and braving Sunday’s chilly weather to attend the event, Miller says he participates in the ceremonies at the World War II Memorial as a way to honor his lost crew members and friends. 

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Discover the Value of America’s ‘Super Citizens’

By Barbara L. Stewart, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

The fabric of our nation is strengthened by the service of its volunteers. We see this over and over again whenever ordinary Americans step up to support their fellow citizens for needs both great and small. This idea stands out in the latest results from our Volunteering in America study — a report that examines how Americans of all ages are serving together to keep our nation strong.

We are excited to announce that the nation’s volunteer rate has jumped six points to break through the 30 percent-level as Americans are volunteering at higher rates than ever. However, that is only part of the story.

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Navy Admiral Asks Americans to Pause and Reflect on Those Who Protected Our Freedom

By (Ret.) U.S. Navy Admiral Earl L. Gay, CNCS Senior Advisor for Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and Military Family Initiatives

Each year on Veterans Day, we stop to pay tribute to all the brave women and men of the military, and their families who have made – and continue to make – selfless sacrifices in service to America. As a Navy veteran, I am guided by the pride armed forces veterans feel for our nation and send a special salute to the veterans who have chosen to serve again through national service programs.

At the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), we believe that one of the simplest ways to support America’s communities is through the power of people who are willing to give their time to make things better. The list of challenges our nation faces and neighbors who can use our help is long, but if we have the will to face them head on, we can change lives for the better.

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Join Senior Corps and Support National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

By Deborah Cox-Roush, Director of Senior Corps

The prescription opioid crisis has become too big to ignore, stretching across the nation and affecting families in rural communities, small towns, and big cities. If we intend to stop this epidemic, all of us will have to get involved, and Senior Corps is doing its part by bringing attention to National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 27.

An analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that chronic pain is common among seniors, with 8-in-10 struggling with multiple health conditions. Nearly 20 percent of seniors, roughly 20 million people, were prescribed an opioid between 2015 and 2016. In 2015, opioid-related complications caused nearly 125,000 hospitalizations, including more than 36,000 emergency department visits in this age group.

Battling the opioid epidemic is a priority of the Trump administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that leads Senior Corps, is a proud partner in this fight.

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By Barbara L. Stewart, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

Our nation is in the midst of an unprecedented drug epidemic. More than 72,000 Americans died from a drug overdose last year, and 2.4 million Americans struggle with opioid addiction. This crisis is causing devastating effects on families, workplaces, the health care system, states, and communities.

President Trump has made combating this epidemic a priority, and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is committed to this fight. We have teamed up with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to support National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Sat., Oct. 27. This is a day for Americans across the country to do their part to fight the opioid crisis simply by safely disposing of unwanted prescription medications.

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Attending a career fair can be a really awkward experience. We get it. So before attending our AmeriCorps VISTA Career Fair on Thursday, October 25th, read these tips on how to prepare so it’s a productive and not-so-awkward experience. 

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By Barbara L. Stewart, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

America has a long history of progress because of the exceptional people who make up its citizenry and share common goals. We share a belief that when we are united, we can elevate our nation and realize the potential that lives within each of us. Service is one way to achieve that ideal, and we are celebrating our newest national service members during AmeriCorps Opening Day ceremonies for the next few weeks.

This fall AmeriCorps is sending 75,000 members to support some of the most important work that needs to be done across the nation. Our agency, the Corporation for National and Community Service, partners with State Service Commissions, municipalities, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to ensure that the federal support we provide meets local needs.

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By Barbara Stewart, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

September 11, 2001, will forever be known as a day of tragedy. But in the 17 years since, it has also come to represent something else: hope. In the hours, days, and weeks following that fateful day, Americans did what they do best. In communities from coast to coast, Americans came together to help neighbors and strangers alike. This spirit of unity allowed the nation to heal then, and that same spirit can help us now.

Each year, millions of Americans honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 through service as part of the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance. This annual event is an outgrowth of a campaign led by the families of 9/11 to honor their loved ones, turning a day of grief into a day of action. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is designated by Congress to lead this day of service and remembrance.

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By Tatiana Johnson, City Year Headquarters

“Hello, I’m Mr. Johnson and I am going to invest in you as much as you want me to.” This is how Le’otis Boswell-Johnson introduced himself to Devin*, an eighth-grade student at The Leadership Academies at Eugene J. Butler Middle School, on the first day of school.

Though Devin was one of the many students that Boswell-Johnson worked with as a City Year AmeriCorps member in Jacksonville, Fla., the two developed a special bond while Le’otis served as a tutor, mentor, role model, and friend to the young man during the past year.

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By Barbara Stewart 
CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

Volunteering has been a part of the nation’s fabric even before the United States declared its independence 242 years ago. In the spirit of that ethic of service, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is proud to uphold the tradition of volunteering to keep America strong and make it a better place for all people. 

At CNCS, we are guided by a simple mission: to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. This year 300,000 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers – ranging from teenagers to centenarians and every age in between – are giving their time and energy to address some of the nation’s greatest challenges. 

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It’s been a few months since the Office of Research & Evaluation (ORE) first introduced the seven grantees who received 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Evidence-based Planning Grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Since then, the organizations have continued the planning process and begun early implementation of their programs that leverage AmeriCorps members to make a local impact and address pressing societal needs.

In our second blog, we catch up with these grantees to get the scoop on the progress made in program development, to understand their current priorities, and to learn about opportunities and obstacles they encountered along the way. 

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Prepare now for storms that could affect your area

The 2018 Hurricane Season begins on June 1. Last year, we witnessed an unprecedented hurricane season that communities in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be recovering from for years to come. Never before has it been so important for those in hurricane-prone areas to share information about preparedness to help save lives and protect their communities.

What can you do to get ready?

Powerful hurricanes can affect communities beyond coastal areas. High winds, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and flooding can be felt hundreds of miles inland, potentially causing loss of life and catastrophic damage to property. It only takes one to change your life and your community. As Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac remind us, it is not just major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) that we need to worry about. All hurricanes could potentially cause significant damage. 

Knowing your risk, getting prepared, and staying informed are just a few steps people can take to get ready for hurricane season.

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More than 6.7 million low‐income youth between the ages of 16 and 24 are either homeless, in foster care, involved in the juvenile justice system, unemployed, or not enrolled in or at risk of dropping out of an educational institution. Through programs such as AmeriCorps, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recruits opportunity youth to engage in national service projects, and in return, these young adults receive mentoring, coaching, and skills development that position them for success after their service ends.

CNCS’s Office of Research & Evaluation (ORE) recently completed a study of opportunity youth who were engaged in service as AmeriCorps members. The study faced challenges measuring the impact of these national service programs due to small sample sizes and limited program capacity. To address these challenges and support a more efficient use of evaluation resources, ORE worked with its grantees to implement a “bundled approach,” which groups several smaller AmeriCorps programs together into a single evaluation.

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