WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, Oct. 26, President Bill Clinton and AmeriCorps convened a diverse group of AmeriCorps members and volunteers, as well as public and private partners, at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. The summit, “AmeriCorps: 30 Years Forward,” marked the 30th anniversary of President Clinton signing the National and Community Trust Act – the law that created AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.
For 30 years, AmeriCorps has supported our nation’s most pressing needs. In the days and weeks following the September 11th attacks, hundreds of AmeriCorps members and volunteers raised their hands to serve as caseworkers and helped displaced families. When Hurricane Katrina devastated homes, roads, and communities, AmeriCorps was there. More than 40,000 members supported rehabilitation efforts in the decade after the storm. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, AmeriCorps helped more than 12 million people with testing and vaccination, tutored students, and provided food for families in need.
It’s clear: when America calls, AmeriCorps answers.
“In 1994, the first class of 20,000 AmeriCorps members began their year of service. Today, 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers continue to answer America’s call in all 50 states, territories, and scores of Native Nations,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. “We’re grateful to President Clinton and all our partners who made this summit possible.”
At “AmeriCorps: 30 Years Forward,” Dr. John King, Jr., Chancellor, SUNY Schools, announced that 15 of their campuses will be joining AmeriCorps’ Schools of National Service, increasing our members access to higher education after service. SUNY Schools are already a leader in the National Partnership for Student Success Higher Education Coalition, with several campuses committing to placing more college students in high-impact jobs or volunteer positions as tutors, mentors, student success coaches, post-secondary transition coaches, or wraparound student support coordinators at local preschool through grade 12 schools or out-of-school time programs.
“The genius of AmeriCorps is that it focuses not on domination, but on cooperation, not on what’s different, but what we have in common,” said President Bill Clinton. “And the interesting thing we know from human behavior is that the more we focus on what we have in common, the greater contribution our differences make.”
The summit was hosted by AmeriCorps and the Clinton Foundation in partnership with More Perfect, Voices for National Service, and With Honor Action.
