FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct 19, 2023

On Thursday, Oct. 26, President Bill Clinton and champions of service to convene ‘AmeriCorps: 30 Years Forward’

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, Oct. 26, President Bill Clinton and AmeriCorps will convene a diverse group of leaders from the AmeriCorps network, as well as public and private partners, at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock for a Summit for the future of national service. The convening, “AmeriCorps: 30 Years Forward,” will mark the 30th anniversary of President Clinton signing the National and Community Trust Act of 1993. The law established the Corporation for National and Community Service and created AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

“AmeriCorps: 30 Years Forward” is presented by the Clinton Foundation in partnership with AmeriCorps, More Perfect, Voices for National Service and With Honor Action.

Since the first class of AmeriCorps members pledged to “get things done for America,” more than 1.25 million Americans have served. Today, 200,000 AmeriCorps members serve in 36,000 locations across all US states and territories. Participants have earned more than $4.5 billion in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards to help them pay for college or pay back student loans.

President Clinton and AmeriCorps will convene national leaders on public service for the summit, including:

  • Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps
  • Shirley Sagawa, Board Member, AmeriCorps
  • Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO, With Honor
  • AnnMaura Connolly, President, Voices for National Service
  • Kaira Esgate, CEO, America’s Service Commissions
  • Mark Gearan, President, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
  • Julie Gehrki, Vice President, Philanthropy, Walmart
  • Fagan Harris, Chief of Staff, Office of Maryland Governor Wes Moore
  • Alan Khazei, Co-Chair, More Perfect and Co-Founder, City Year
  • Kyle Kimball, Vice President of Government Relations and Community Engagement, New York University
  • Secretary John King, Chancellor, State University of New York
  • Alice Kwan, Principal, Deloitte Consulting
  • Leroy “J.R.” La Plante, Associate Vice President, Wokini Initiative, South Dakota State University
  • Rebecca Lange, US Air Force Veteran
  • Domingo Morales, Founder, Compost Power
  • Mayor Derrick Rainey, City of Wrightsville, Arkansas
  • Flor Romero, Associate Director of Career Pathway Connections, LA Promise Fund
  • Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Dean, Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas
  • Amy Sovocool, CEO, Conservation Legacy
  • Stefanie Vestal, AmeriCorps Alumna and Clinton School of Public Service Student
  • Nyjeer Wesley, Program Liaison, Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • Jada Zuniga, AmeriCorps Alumna

 
“AmeriCorps was created 30 years ago with the goal of giving every American who wants to serve the opportunity to do so. Since then, AmeriCorps members have served billions of hours in communities across the country,” said Stephanie S. Streett, executive director, Clinton Foundation. “At this Summit we will look ahead to the next 30 years of AmeriCorps and explore ways for more people to serve.”
 
The summit program will include President Clinton in conversation with AmeriCorps alumni who will share their perspectives on the role that the program has played in strengthening communities, developing leaders and building a stronger democracy over the last 30 years. The summit will be streamed live; register at www.clintonfoundation.org/americorps30.
 
“Reflecting on 30 remarkable years of AmeriCorps, we celebrate a legacy of service that has shaped the very fabric of our nation. AmeriCorps has been a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change and a testament to the enduring American spirit,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. “Through disaster response, education, environmental stewardship and so much more, we’ve shown that together, we can tackle even the most daunting challenges.”
 
Special sessions at the summit will include:

  • “Leveraging AmeriCorps as a Diverse and Mission-Oriented Talent Pipeline,” a conversation with business and industry leaders and AmeriCorps alumni discussing strategies to build more intentional talent pipelines from national service to careers.
  • “The AmeriCorps Experience and Higher Education: A Leap Year, not a Gap Year,” a conversation with higher education leaders from across the country discussing the value AmeriCorps alumni bring to post-secondary education and ways their institutions can encourage more Americans to serve.
  • “AmeriCorps as a Community Asset,” a conversation with government and philanthropic leaders discussing the vital role of AmeriCorps in supporting communities as they respond to urgent needs in education, climate, disaster response, meeting the needs of veterans and more.

Following the summit, on Friday, Oct. 27 the Clinton Presidential Center and Engage Arkansas will convene attendees and volunteers for a Day of Action in Little Rock’s 12th Street Corridor.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov.

AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally and receive benefits for their service. Learn how to get involved at AmeriCorps.gov/serve.