[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 24325-24326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08431]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 75 / Wednesday, April 19, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 24325]]


                Proclamation 10553 of April 14, 2023

                
National Volunteer Week, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                This week, we honor the selfless spirit of Americans 
                who volunteer, and we sound the call for more Americans 
                to seize opportunities to serve their communities.

                Every day across America, volunteers are performing 
                extraordinary acts of service. They are repairing and 
                rebuilding homes, educating our youth, and connecting 
                people to jobs. They are supporting veterans and 
                military families, helping to run our elections, and 
                combating climate change. In the aftermath of natural 
                disasters, neighbors volunteer to restore communities 
                and cook hot meals. And amid a pandemic, volunteers 
                have stepped forward to help administer vaccines and 
                provide lifesaving resources to people in need.

                Volunteering defines America. Our Nation is a place 
                where light triumphs over darkness, where we seek to 
                lift everyone up, and where we lead not by the example 
                of our power but by the power of our example. As those 
                who volunteer know firsthand, service also benefits the 
                volunteer. It can teach important skills, help build 
                professional networks, and provide an empowering sense 
                of purpose. Volunteering brings people together, 
                uniting us around our common belief in the dignity and 
                equality of every person and giving us a chance to 
                learn from others we might otherwise never meet.

                This year marks the 30th anniversary of AmeriCorps. In 
                the decades since President Clinton created this 
                Federal agency, more than a million Americans have 
                fanned out to communities across our country to serve 
                neighbors, respond and rebuild after natural disasters, 
                educate students in need, and provide critical support 
                in the face of public health challenges like the opioid 
                crisis and COVID-19. Every year, AmeriCorps matches 
                over 140,000 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers with service 
                opportunities. AmeriCorps embodies our Nation's 
                commitment to service, and I was proud to strengthen it 
                with a historic $1 billion investment through our 
                American Rescue Plan. My new Budget calls on the 
                Congress to raise the living allowance provided to 
                AmeriCorps members, making national service more 
                accessible to Americans of all backgrounds. It also 
                calls for the largest-ever request in funding for the 
                Peace Corps in order to expand opportunities for 
                Americans to volunteer overseas. For over 60 years, 
                Peace Corps volunteers have worked in dozens of 
                countries on projects related to agriculture, community 
                development, education, environmental protection, 
                health, and improving opportunities for youth.

                Additionally, my Administration hosted the United We 
                Stand Summit, convening civic, faith, philanthropic, 
                and business leaders to address the hate-fueled 
                violence that threatens our democracy. Responding to 
                this call to action, leading community organizations 
                announced a new partnership, A Nation of 
                Bridgebuilders, to train tens of thousands of Americans 
                in techniques that build bridges across diverse 
                identities and backgrounds--including storytelling, 
                finding shared values, and volunteering together in 
                common purpose. This initiative will host over 1,000 
                service events in more than 300 communities, improving 
                lives and bringing Americans closer together.

[[Page 24326]]

                This week, I encourage all Americans to seek volunteer 
                opportunities near you and to visit AmeriCorps.gov and 
                peacecorps.gov/volunteer to learn more about getting 
                involved. Large and small acts of service can mean so 
                much--lifting spirits, opening up new doors of 
                opportunity, and cementing our identity as a great 
                country full of good people.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 16 
                through April 22, 2023, as National Volunteer Week. I 
                call upon all Americans to observe this week by 
                volunteering in service projects across the country and 
                pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-08431
Filed 4-18-23; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P