United We Serve is a nationwide service initiative that kicks off on June 22, 2009. Led by the White House and coordinated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, United We Serve asks organizations across America to engage new volunteers in their work and encourages individuals to volunteer and develop community service projects with friends, family, and neighbors.
After an initial 81 days – June 22 to September 11 – the president hopes that the initiative will grow into a sustained, collaborative effort to promote service as a way of life for all Americans. More information about the initiative is available at http://www.Serve.gov.
By participating in United We Serve, artists and arts organizations can demonstrate the unique and vital contributions the arts make to every aspect of community life. Volunteer efforts may be centered on cultural activities or on those relating to one of United We Serve’s areas of focus: education; health; energy and the environment; and community renewal. In addition to the inherent benefits of volunteerism, either by engaging volunteers or serving as volunteers, artists and arts organizations can strengthen their community ties and make the arts more visible in local recovery efforts.
How to Participate:
- Post a call for volunteers. Invite members of the community to get involved with your organization and its programs. Go to Serve.gov and register your organization and your project(s) in the All for Good database, a national hub of volunteer opportunity listings. Record numbers of volunteers are expected to seek service opportunities this summer, so be sure to capitalize on this momentum.
- Become a volunteer. Contribute your time to a volunteer project taking place in your community – and identify yourself as an artist when you do! Search Serve.gov and All for Good for nearby opportunities.
- Create your own project. Consult the on-line toolkit for tips on how to design local service efforts that make a difference. The best practices profiled there can maximize the impact of any community arts or cultural engagement initiative.
- Share your story. Make the arts a visible part of America’s service movement by sharing your story on-line. Describe how you have engaged volunteers for arts projects and how those projects have transformed lives, galvanized community action or assisted populations in need. Include pictures for maximum appeal. A wealth of stories is being posted on the White House Delivering Change map.
- Promote your participation. A sample press release is available to help you get started.
Additional materials about United We Serve are available on-line, including a video announcement by President Obama, answers to Frequently Asked Questions and a Media Advisory Guide. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, 1029 Vermont Avenue NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, 202-347-6352, http://www.nasaa-arts.org/
