Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Chelsea Clinton blogged about creating a culture of service.
“Dr. King’s life of service forever changed the course of our history, and I am thankful that my daughter will grow up in a country made better by Dr. King’s work, although one where his dream remains yet to be fulfilled,” she wrote. "Last year, as my family and I celebrated the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps — a program my father helped create during his Presidency — I often found myself thinking about the future of service and volunteerism in the United States. Since AmeriCorps was founded, more than 800,000 young Americans have fulfilled their desire and commitment to serve, contributing more than 1 billion hours of service to make our country stronger. And, even more young Americans have raised their hands than there have been opportunities to serve. In 2011 alone, 582,000 people applied for the 80,000 AmeriCorps positions available. Service alone cannot help us reach Dr. King’s dream, but it is a vital part of building the country and community he envisioned.
“That’s why the Clinton Foundation and our partners have set our sights on both creating more positions to help meet the demand to serve through Americorps and on strengthening the role of service as a fundamental part of American life. When we talk about service, we mean military service, Americorps service, community service and all the ways in which Americans engage in service."
To read the full blog, click here.
Source: Clinton Foundation
