Chelsea Clinton speaks at the opening plenary session for the “Service Unites” conference sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation on Monday in Atlanta. Clinton called for more opportunities to engage millennials in community service during her speech.ATLANTA – Chelsea Clinton, who has played an increasingly prominent role in her family’s foundation, used a speech Monday to call for more community service opportunities for a younger generation and said she supports efforts that would allow more college graduates to reduce their student loan debt through volunteering.
Clinton, 34, who serves as vice chairwoman of the Clinton Foundation, spoke to about 5,000 people gathered for the “Service Unites” conference sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation and also participated in a panel discussion on inspiring young people to become more involved.
“It is in all of our interests to ensure that every young person in America who wants to serve is given the opportunity to serve,” said Clinton, who is expecting her first baby in the fall with her husband, Marc Mezvinsky.
Clinton said it was important for young people to expand their view of service and for federal, state and local governments to do everything they can to expand volunteer opportunities rather than let them contract or stagnate.
“We often do think of service as only the ways in which the mayor is serving, in which my parents have served. Maybe we think of military service. But service clearly has an almost limitless definition determined by how each individual can make a difference in their community,” Clinton said.