Media Item
Jan 12, 2009Big Brothers Big Sisters Answers President Barack Obama's Call to Serve
The Answer Is "Yes, we will."
Philadelphia, PA, Jan 12, 2009 -- Big Brothers Big Sisters network of volunteer mentors and the professionals who support them will answer President Obama's Call to Celebrate January 19, 2009 - Martin Luther King Day - by serving their communities and urging Americans to recognize ordinary citizens who take extraordinary steps to help children succeed. Headquartered in Philadelphia with nearly 400 local agencies Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest network of volunteer mentors, is proven to change perspectives and lives of the nation's most vulnerable children.
"As President Barack Obama says, when our nation faces crisis, our national experience has shown Americans rise to the challenge. Whether supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters or another one of our nation's many quality charities, we all can do our part at this difficult economic time to support one another with our time and treasure," said Judy Vredenburgh, president and chief executive officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Big Brothers Big Sisters nearly 400 local agencies will recognize the National Day of Service in several ways:
- Hosting Changing Lives forums/panel discussions to collaborate with families and professionals to identify service priorities in their communities.
- Encouraging and organizing groups of volunteers, children and families to answer specific needs in their communities through an orchestrated event effort.
- Encouraging their Big Brothers Big Sisters families to participate in community Day of Service events in their area.
- Urging Americans to go to BigBrothersBigSisters.org to nominate someone to become America's Big Citizen, an ordinary person who is doing extraordinary things to help vulnerable children succeed. The winner will be the nominee who receives the most votes on line.
In 1994, Congress transformed the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday into a national day of community service to further commemorate a man who lived his life in service to others. As a tribute to that legacy and the very real needs of our nation, the President and Vice President will launch a national organizing effort on the eve of their Inauguration to engage Americans in service. This national day of service will fall on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 19, 2009 and, President Obama will ask Americans to make an ongoing commitment to our communities.
The presidential Inaugural Committee has called on organizations of all size and focus to get involved in planning, organizing and staging non-partisan volunteer community service events.
For more information on how to get involved, please call 604.876.2447 ext.236 or visit www.bigbrothersvancouver.com
