Resolution on National Service from U.S. Conference of Mayors

U.S. Conference of Mayors
Resolution on National Service
Adopted Unanimously at 82nd Annual Meeting on June 23, 2014

NATIONAL SERVICE

WHEREAS, service to others is a hallmark of the American character, and central to how we meet our challenges; and

WHEREAS, the nation’s Mayors are increasingly turning to national service and volunteerism as a cost-effective strategy to meet city needs; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, shares a priority with Mayors nationwide to engage citizens, improve lives, and strengthen communities; and

WHEREAS, national service participants address the most pressing challenges facing our cities, from educating students for the jobs of the 21st century and supporting veterans and military families to providing health services and helping communities recover from natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, national service expands economic opportunity by creating more sustainable, resilient communities and providing education, career skills, and leadership abilities for those who serve; and

WHEREAS, national service participants serve in nearly 60,000 locations across the country, bolstering the civic, neighborhood, and faith-based organizations that are so vital to our economic and social well-being; and

WHEREAS, national service participants increase the impact of the organizations they serve with, both through their direct service and by recruiting and managing millions of additional volunteers; and

WHEREAS, national service represents a unique public-private partnership that invests in community solutions and leverages non-federal resources to strengthen community impact and increase the return on taxpayer dollars; and

WHEREAS, national service participants demonstrate commitment, dedication, and patriotism by making an intensive commitment to service-- a commitment that remains with them in their future endeavors; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation for National and Community Service leads President Obama’s Task Force on Expanding National Service through which it is partnering with the public and private sectors to solve problems and create more national service opportunities; and

WHEREAS, more than 1,750 Mayors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, representing 110 million citizens or one-third of all Americans, participated in the second annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service; and

WHEREAS, since its inception, more than 830,000 individuals have served a combined one billion hours in AmeriCorps; and

WHEREAS, annually more than 300,000 Senior Corps volunteers serve children, the elderly, and veterans,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors supports the following policy priorities:

• Support National Service as a critical and effective solution to community challenges facing Mayors across the country; and
• Commit to working with organizations at the local level that partner with the Corporation for National and Community Service to further their impact in cities across the nation; and
• Encourage Mayors to partner with the Corporation for National and Community Service to create additional sources of funding for national service through other local government agencies; and
• Encourage Mayors to participate in or host an event celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the AmeriCorps program on September 12, 2014; and
• Place a priority on hiring AmeriCorps Alumni who have gained valuable skills, including project management, team building, and budgeting; and
• Serve as an official sponsor for the annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service along with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the National League of Cities, and Cities of Service.