ServiceNation

Next week marks the 7th anniversary of one of the worst attacks on American soil in history.  On 9/11 we will remember the horror of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and all of the innocent lives lost. We will also remember the bravery of the fireman, police men and women and the hundreds of volunteers that rose up to respond to the challenges in our darkest hour.  

On September 11th and 12th, 2008 leaders in government, business, philanthropy and the nonprofit sector will gather in New York to lay out a bold plan for service and volunteerism in our country.  The ServiceNation Summit will bring together about 500 leading Americans who will spark the conversation on national service to help build enthusiasm and momentum for the ServiceNation campaign.  The intended outcome of the summit is to come up with a national blueprint for service and volunteerism that makes civic engagement a top priority in the political and community landscapes.

New Mexico has been a catalyst in driving a civic engagement agenda.  In 2006, Governor Bill Richardson, Lt. Governor Diane Denish, the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism and concerned citizens throughout the state developed The Blueprint for Civic Engagement which serves as a statewide roadmap to service and volunteerism opportunities in the state.  The Blueprint also incorporates policy recommendations to increase service and volunteerism and civic engagement opportunities in New Mexico to effectively respond to the educational, health, environmental and economic needs of our state.   Volunteer hours in New Mexico have had nearly a billion dollars in impact.

The ServiceNation summit will be televised on CNN and will feature appearances by presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.