WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton on Friday highlighted the benefits to individuals and to the nation from volunteering as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the AmeriCorps national service program and welcomed the newest class of volunteers.
“For those of you who know my story starting off as a community organizer, I would not be standing here if it were not for service to others, and the purpose that service gave my own life,” Obama said during a ceremony under sunny skies on the White House South Lawn. Hundreds of T-shirt clad volunteers had just raised their right hands and pledged to “get things done for America” during their year of service around the country.
Clinton signed the bill in 1993 that created AmeriCorps, which he said was one of the most important things he had done to foster public service.
Clinton also launched the first class of AmeriCorps volunteers 20 years ago Friday. Since then, more than 900,000 people have contributed more than 1.2 billion hours on service projects at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and religious-based groups nationwide.
At a time of public frustration with partisan gridlock in Washington, Clinton said the volunteers seated before him, who represent all walks of life, gave him reason to be hopeful.