Catherine

My Blog Posts

• The GIVE Act
  03/17/2009 05:49:41 PM EST
  My Generation’s Time to Shine.
  Catherine Wright
  3/17/09
  As a twenty-year old coming into a political awareness during extremely tumultuous times, I look to the GIVE Act for inspiration and reaffirmation. The GIVE Act, which will significantly increase national service opportunities for my peers as well as people of all ages, demonstrates the government’s commitment to building community. As an Americorps alumnus, I understand the power of national service (national service is the name for government-funded volunteer programs, such as Peace Corps and Teach for America). I devoted a year to service after high school with a government-funded program called City Year. Through mentoring middle school students, I realized my potential to lead groups and work with organizations to effect positive change.
  The GIVE Act stands for Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education and will create thousands more service opportunities—175,000 more volunteer positions, to be exact. It will increase scholarship money that is given to young adults who devote themselves to service. Along with expanding current programs, the GIVE Act will start new initiatives, two of which are: the Summer of Service program that will engage middle school and high school students in volunteering, and the Clean Energy Corps, which will encourage energy efficiency and conservation measures.
  There is no doubt that our country is in the midst of a large economic struggle, but from the struggle comes a new resoluteness and new opportunity. Americans do not give up so easily; we ban together and build community. Service has always been a part of the American mosaic and increasingly so in recent years: the number of volunteers in the US increased by one million from 2001 to 2007. The GIVE Act that will be introduced in the House of Representatives tomorrow will reinforce America’s strong commitment to service. As a young adult who has witnessed the power of national service, I believe the GIVE Act will enable my generation and all Americans to shine!