WHEREAS, service to others is a hallmark of the American character, and throughout our history people have stepped up to meet our challenges by volunteering in their communities; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps provides opportunities for nearly 75,000 Americans to serve their country through an intensive commitment to service at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps enriches the lives of its members, building habits that create engaged citizens who are active participants in civic matters affecting their communities long after their service terms are completed; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps members encourage collaboration and partnerships, leveraging millions of volunteers in service and acquiring the support of business partners to increase the effectiveness of their initiatives; and
WHEREAS, over the past year in North Carolina, 3,700 AmeriCorps members of various ages and backgrounds helped to meet local needs at over 700 locations across our state by tutoring or mentoring children and youth, increasing creativity and arts education in the classroom, assisting first-generation students seek higher education, improving access to medical care in underserved communities, supporting veterans and military families, addressing food insecurity, restoring the environment, increasing local government capacity, and responding to disasters; and
WHEREAS, in exchange for their service, AmeriCorps members develop valuable work skills, earn Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, and strengthen the lives of their families, communities, and North Carolina as a whole; and
WHEREAS, since AmeriCorps was founded in 1994, 26,000 AmeriCorps members in North Carolina served more than 40 million hours and qualified for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards totaling more than $99.6 million; and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps Week is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and commitment of the more than one million Americans who have chosen to serve their country through AmeriCorps and their community partners, and to encourage more Americans to follow their footsteps in service;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March 12 – 18, 2023, as “AMERICORPS WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.