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Millions of Young Americans Contribute More Than $200 Million in Volunteer Time on Tax Day

Millions of Young Americans Contribute More Than $200 Million in Volunteer Time on Tax Day

Published 04-14-05

Submitted by Youth Service America

WASHINGTON - As adults pay their taxes on Friday, millions of younger Americans are making their own weekend contributions to the nation's health, education, human service, and environmental needs for the 17th annual National Youth Service Day. In the shadow of record deficits and shrinking social services, young people are stepping up to the plate to strengthen their communities through an intense display of community service projects valued at more than $200 million in volunteer time.

Researchers for Independent Sector estimated in 2004 that the value of a volunteer hour has climbed to $17.55 per hour. Youth Service America and its 115 National Partners who organize National Youth Service Day estimate that more than 3 million young people will volunteer this year. During the three-day event, young people in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia will address important community needs through service projects that focus on such problems as literacy, health and hunger issues, improving the environment and recent Tsunami relief efforts. Global Youth Service Day, also organized by Youth Service America, will take place concurrently in more than 100 countries.

National Youth Service Day is supported by the State Farm Insurance Companies as the presenting sponsor for the fourth year in a row. Led by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, and 43 additional Senators, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a Resolution to give Congress's strong support to NYSD. National Partners, including eight Federal Agencies and the nation's largest nonprofit and youth development organizations, will engage their younger constituencies in volunteer service projects.

Bozeman, Montana - Young people at the Museum of the Rockies will create tsunami pins for sale through nationwide retailers. Money goes to rebuild and expand an orphanage in Sri Lanka, whose founder saved the original 28 orphans by placing them in a tiny boat as the 30-foot wall of water approached. More than 75 new orphans now join them. Early publicity is spreading the service project idea to kids in Colorado, Florida, and Oregon in support of the same orphanage.

Hollywood, FL - American Idol star Clay Aiken will join young people with intellectual disabilities and their Best Buddies to plant more than 40 six-foot tall palm trees and clean up a neighborhood. The Flanagan High School ROTC will also participate in the project.

Humble, TX - A high school foreign exchange student from Afghanistan, Nillab Qassimi, is teaching first graders at Oakforest Elementary School about her country while leading them in creating artwork about what it means to be an American. The exhibit will travel to a local nursing home before it returns with her to Afghanistan and is shared with school children in her hometown. During Global Youth Service Day in 2006, those children in Afghanistan will develop a similar exhibit for travel back to the United States.

Broward County, FL - The School Board of Broward County and the one-hundred and sixty 9th graders who participate in the Summer Transitions program (a year round school for at-risk youth), the Children's Services Council, and the Internal Revenue Service have partnered for a community marketing campaign about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The campaign will be directed to the local community and youth will encourage parents to attend the educational opportunities session.

At the state and local level, 50 Lead Agencies in the U.S. will coordinate National Youth Service Day events in six regions, 12 states, and 32 cities. A record $640,000 in small planning grants is being distributed to more than 900 different projects by Youth Service America and 15 corporate, Federal, and national partners. The money will be used to underwrite everything from garbage bags to water-testing kits to pizza celebrations at projects promoting themes such as service-learning, the inclusion of kids with disabilities, and civic engagement.

"We know most adult volunteers in this country started during their childhood," said Steven Culbertson, president & CEO of Youth Service America. "Not coincidentally, those volunteers also gave the bulk of the $250 billion that Americans gave to charity last year. Youth service is the critical pipeline to more generous and engaged adults in this country."

National Youth Service Day, the largest volunteer service event in the world, focuses attention on the amazing contributions that young people make year-round to their communities while recruiting the next generation of volunteers and educating the public about the benefits of volunteering and doing service-learning. For more information, visit: www.ysa.org/NYSD.

Youth Service America is a national nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of other organizations committed to strengthening the youth service movement. Youth Service America's programs and services help to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields on a local, national, and global level. In addition to National Youth Service Day and Global Youth Service Day, which take place concurrently each April, YSA also hosts SERVEnet (www.SERVEnet.org), providing the largest database of volunteer opportunities in America. For more information, visit: www.YSA.org.

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Youth Service America

Youth Service America

Youth Service America is a national nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of other organizations committed to strengthening the youth service movement. Youth Service America's programs and services help to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields on a local, national, and global level. In addition to National Youth Service Day and Global Youth Service Day, which take place concurrently each April, YSA also hosts SERVEnet (www.SERVEnet.org), providing the largest database of volunteer opportunities in America. For more information, visit: www.YSA.org.

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