Mayors of Super Bowl Cities Wager Volunteer Service

As part of ‘Service Bowl,’ winning mayor to host community service project with AmeriCorps members and local volunteers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers prepare to face off in Super Bowl 50, the mayors from the two cities have come up with a friendly wager that focuses on the importance of volunteering and community service. This will mark the fourth year of the Service Bowl bet.

Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver and Mayor Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte agreed that the winning mayor would arrange for the mayor from the opposing team to participate in a day of volunteer service with AmeriCorps members. This service project will be carried out in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other volunteer programs.

“Mayors are leaders who get things done, responding every day to needs in their cities,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “With this friendly wager, Mayors Hancock and Roberts highlight the impact and power of national service and volunteering. No matter which team wins the game, both cities—and all football fans— can celebrate the Service Bowl.”

“I’m proud to work with Mayor Roberts and the City of Charlotte to highlight the importance of giving back to the community,” Mayor Hancock said. “Regardless of the outcome of the game, volunteering within the community not only makes a direct impact on our lives, it strengthens our communities.”

“I am excited about this opportunity to strengthen Charlotte’s relationship with Denver and to highlight the importance of community service,” said Mayor Roberts. “Volunteerism benefits both the community and the individuals who carry it out and it helps build the trust and compassion that makes cities great.”

Charlotte and Denver are both strong service cities. The Charlotte area ranks fourth among large cities for volunteering and service, and last year, 509,000 volunteers served a total of 66.2 million hours, volunteer service valued at $1.5 billion. In Denver, 679,600 volunteers gave a total of 54.2 million hours, an estimated value of $1.6 billion, making it 13th in volunteering among major U.S. cities. Data also shoes that more AmeriCorps members come from Denver than other cities its size; when it comes to enrolling in AmeriCorps, Denver residents also rank second in the nation.

Super Bowl 50 will also feature volunteer service as part of its official slate of activities, including a service project by Rebuilding Together, an AmeriCorps program. The 21st annual Kickoff to Rebuild will unite more than 15 NFL players from across the country with 100 local volunteers to the Bayview neighborhood to provide six low-income families with critical home repairs.

Mayors Hancock and Roberts join more than 2780 U.S. mayors in their focus on service. Mayors across the country will participate in a national day of recognition this April 5 to highlight the impact of national service in their cities and thank individuals who serve.

As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages millions of citizens in service at more than 60,000 sites across the country through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and other programs. These national service participants meet critical community needs -- strengthening education, fostering economic opportunity, helping communities recover from disasters, supporting veterans and military families, providing health services, and preserving the environment.

Americans looking to participate in their own Super Service Day can find a volunteer service project in their area using the search engine at www.serve.gov.