[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 149 (Thursday, October 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2560-E2561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VISION OF A THOUSAND ``POINTS OF LIGHT''

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 15, 2009

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
20th anniversary of the vision of a thousand ``Points of

[[Page E2561]]

Light'' and to celebrate the growing tide of commitment to service and 
volunteering that is a hallmark of this great nation. Tomorrow, 
President George H. W. Bush and President Barack Obama are together to 
mark this important milestone in the history of the service movement.
  Twenty years ago, President Bush spoke of a thousand points of light, 
individuals and organizations ``spread like stars throughout the 
nation, doing good.'' From this idea rose the Points of Light 
Foundation which has both recognized and organized exemplary acts of 
giving for the past two decades.
  In 2007, it merged with Hands On Network, which started in my 
district, in the city of Atlanta, and the combined organization is now 
the Points of Light Institute, the largest volunteer network in the 
country. Their mission is to mobilize, not just a thousand, but 
millions to answer the call to solve our most pressing problems--
volunteers working together to help those with HIV in San Francisco, 
building wheelchair ramps in Greenville, and creating award-winning 
tutoring programs in Atlanta.
  In today's hard times, people are hurting. Americans are having to 
choose between paying their mortgages and putting food on the table. In 
these tough times it is more important than ever that we, as American 
citizens, give back to those in need. National Service becomes ever 
more important when people are hurting. I am proud of my fellow 
citizens who have heeded the calls to service, and have dedicated their 
time to helping others. In 2008, 61.8 million Americans volunteered, 
dedicating more than 8 billion hours of service worth an estimated $162 
billion.
  The Points of Light Institute and its 250 Hands On Action Centers 
reach 80 percent of our nation's communities have been at the forefront 
of this remarkable growth. I am so pleased to be able to recognize this 
organization's first 20 years of harnessing the energy and enthusiasm 
of our people to be a part of a better world and their ongoing 
contributions as a part of President Obama's United We Serve 
initiative.

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