Friday, January 12, 2007                                                                                  Printable Version (PDF)

 

Washington, DC – Newly named National Service Congressional Caucus co-chair, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-5) urged participation in the Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday.  To mark the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, communities across the country are planning a record number of projects and activities to honor the slain civil rights leader on Monday, January 15. In Sacramento events will include tree planting and habitat preservation and participants will work with organizations like Hands on Sacramento where they will focus on high-impact, hands-on service projects, such as repairs, cleaning, painting, landscaping, and sorting donations.  To find out more about the over 1500 service projects taking place across the nation on Monday, January 15, 2007 visit www.mlkday.org. 

 

“Volunteerism and national service are key to meeting the needs of our communities – whether it is helping a child with homework after school, planting a tree, or cleaning up in the aftermath of a national disaster like September 11th or Hurricane Katrina,” stated Congresswoman Matsui.  “With the Martin Luther King National Day of Service on Monday, each and every one of us can take advantage of this day-off of work and give back to our communities.

 

“I firmly believe that we need to do more to encourage national service. Monday is a start, but there is more we can do. And as the recently named, new co-chair of the National Service Congressional Caucus, I look forward to exploring new ways we can increase volunteerism.”

 

Congresswoman Matsui will serve as Caucus co-chair with Congressmen Chris Shays (CT-04), David Price (NC-04), and Todd Platts (PA-19).  The National Service Congressional Caucus is committed to moving national service forward as part of the nation's domestic agenda by broadening and deepening existing bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for programs such as AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the Senior Corps. Through these service initiatives, citizens of all ages work to improve their communities and country.  According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, 72 percent of AmeriCorps members continue to volunteer in their communities after their term of service ends and 87 percent of former AmeriCorps members accept public service employment.

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