I'm really excited to welcome AmeriCorps alumni to the White House tomorrow because, well, I'm one myself! Having served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Dream Program in Burlington, VT, I know first-hand how incredibly powerful and rewarding the experience can be. Simply put, it changed my life – and I'll talk about that tomorrow, so join us. We'll also recognize some of the amazing work that's happening around the country and, who knows, perhaps inspire a few more people to take the plunge and join!
Here's the scoop:
AmeriCorps is a national service opportunity that has helped more than 775,000 Americans serve more than 1 billion hours since 1994 (with more than 88,000 Americans serving this year alone). In FY 2011, AmeriCorps reached more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth through tutoring, mentoring, and other services.
Tomorrow, the White House will welcome more than 150 AmeriCorps Alumni leaders from across the country. While the Alumni are here, they'll participate in a day-long briefing, and we'll honor 12 of them as Champions of Change, a program created to honor ordinary Americans doing great work in their communities.
But tomorrow isn't just for the AmeriCorps Alumni joining us here at the White House. It's also a chance to engage with everyone who can't make it to Washington. That's why we'll be holding a live Google+ Hangout moderated by myself and Corporation for National and Community Service CEO Wendy Spencer at 12:00 p.m. EDT. We're hoping you'll join the conversation.
Here's how to participate:
We'll also be live-streaming the remainder of the day on WhiteHouse.gov/Live, be sure to check it out.