Via the National Service-Learning Partnership:
Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced S. 3487, The Serve America Act on Friday, September 12. A major legislative initiative to expand and improve domestic and international service opportunities, the bill will recruit Americans of all ages to do service work in health, education, environmental protection and anti-poverty programs.
Senator Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in a statement, the "Serve America Act" will "connect every generation through service, and enable them to help tackle a wide range of national challenges, from the dropout crisis that plagues our schools to the lack of health care in our neediest communities to the energy and environmental crises that threatens our planet."
Senator Hatch said, "By harnessing the talents and efforts of the American people, faith-based groups and nonprofit organizations, we can empower more people, improve more communities and tackle more of our nation's greatest challenges."
How to help:
Organizations
The goal of the National Service-Learning Partnership is to get at least 100 organizations to sign on this week.
Add your organization's name to the ServiceNation letter of support. Use the following weblink to add your organization's name today:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QoLkoTaxyYe2mUwzKUbvOQ_3d_3d (Organizations Only!)
Individuals
For individuals interested in helping to mobilize support around the bill, please use the instructions below to send thank you messages to Senators Kennedy and Hatch this week. Individuals can also encourage their own senators to become co-sponsors as well.
- Personalize the sample text below or feel free to write your own brief thank you message.
- For Senator Edward M. Kennedy: http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm
- For Senator Orrin Hatch: http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact
- Complete the required cover page information. Then, copy and paste your personalized text into the online correspondence form and then submit.
- Send an email to pship@aed.org with THANK YOU SENT in the subject line of your message.
Dear Senator [INSERT SENATOR’S LAST NAME]:
My name is [INSERT YOUR NAME] and I am a [INSERT YOUR ROLE—i.e., teacher, student, community leader, school principal, parent, or program coordinators] from [INSERT YOUR CITY and STATE]. I’m sure it is not every day that you receive a note from someone from [YOUR STATE], but I wanted to thank you for your leadership and support for the introduction of the Serve America Act (S.3487).
Every day in schools and communities in hundreds of communities across the country, young people are daring to make a difference in the world around them. They are taking what they learn in school and community-based programs and translating it into action to improve their own communities. And as they serve others, they learn for themselves.
The opportunity to apply what they learn through service brings learning to life and keeps young people engaged in school as well as the civic life of their communities. The Serve America Act (S.3487) makes it possible for more young people to experience these benefits this first-hand.
I am just one of many nationwide who thank you, Senator, for your leadership and commitment to this work.
Sincerely,