Mayor Soglin Joins Nationwide Effort to Recognize Impact of National Service

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin will join more than 1,750 mayors across the country on Wednesday for the second annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service, a nationwide bipartisan effort that highlights the impact of national service in tackling city problems.

"National service is a vital resource for our city," said Mayor Soglin. "AmeriCorps and VISTA members and Senior Corps volunteers make our cities better places to live. As Mayor, I am grateful for the dedication and sacrifice of these citizens, who are helping make our great city stronger, safer, and healthier."

Mayor Soglin will participate in a Mayors Day Proclamation and Reading event on Wednesday, April 2, 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Dane County Parent Council-South Madison Head Start, 2300 S. Park St., Madison. Service members and volunteers will share their stories, Mayor Soglin will speak, and then join volunteers and Head Start children in two classrooms, reading together in small groups.

Given the many social needs facing communities – and the fiscal constraints facing government at all levels - mayors are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet city needs. More than 200 AmeriCorps members and 1,800 Senior Corps volunteers including RSVP and Foster Grandparents serve in the Madison area.

The Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service is a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service in cities, to thank those who serve, and to encourage citizens to give back to their communities. As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages more than five million citizens in service at more than 60,000 locations in 8,500 cities across the country through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other programs. National service participants address the most pressing challenges facing our cities and nation, from educating students for the jobs of the 21st century and supporting veterans and military families to preserving the environment and helping communities recover from natural disasters.
By shining the spotlight on the impact of service and thanking those who serve, Mayor Soglin hopes to inspire more residents to get involved in their communities.

"National service shows the best of the American spirit – people turning toward problems instead of away, working together to find community solutions," said Mayor Soglin. "Today, as we thank national service members for their commitment, let us all pledge to do our part to strengthen our city through service and volunteering."

For more information on the Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service, including background and a list of participating mayors, visit www.nationalservice.gov/mayorsforservice.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
 

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