    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [December 20, 2003]
    [Pages 1757-1758]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    December 20, 2003

        Good morning. Every year during the holidays, families across
    America gather to celebrate our blessings, and we unite to share those
    blessings with others. Particularly in this time of giving, our thoughts
    turn to fellow citizens who face hardship or illness or loneliness.
    Their burden often seems even greater at Christmastime, yet the hope of
    this season was meant for them as well.
        The American people see these needs, and they are responding, as
    always, with great generosity. Just this week, a Government report found
    that more than 63 million Americans volunteered over the past year,
    about 4 million more than in the year before. On average, volunteers
    gave 52 hours--more than a full week of work--of their year in service
    to others. This increase in volunteering is evidence of the new culture
    of service we are building in America, especially among young people.
        Nearly 2 years ago, I created the USA Freedom Corps to continue the
    momentum generated by the countless acts of kindness we saw after the
    attacks of September the 11th, 2001. I asked every person in America to
    commit 4,000 hours over a lifetime--or about 100 hours a year--to
    serving neighbors in need. The response was immediate and enthusiastic
    and has remained strong. Over 75,000 service organizations now work with
    USA Freedom Corps, and a growing percentage of Americans have answered
    the call to service.
        Americans are volunteering in every region of the country and in
    nearly every part of the world. Many communities have formed Citizen
    Corps Councils to train neighborhoods in emergency response. About
    50,000 people are enrolled in AmeriCorps, which carries out vital work
    in education, the environment, and homeland security. And the Peace
    Corps expanded to over 7,500 volunteers in 2003, the highest level of
    participation in almost 3 decades.
        Every time I travel in America, I have the honor to meet some of our
    country's most dedicated volunteers. They include people like Phuong
    Nguyen, a high school student in Denver who
    gives hours of her free time to lead service projects for the American
    Red Cross, and Ana Cooper of Miami, who helps
    senior citizens with daily needs like grocery shopping, and Bill
    Sellers, an 83-year-old man from Houston who
    has dedicated almost half his life to feeding the hungry. Some of the
    men and women I have met are members of the Armed Forces who volunteer
    time in their communities on top of their service to the Nation. And
    next week, I look forward to helping a generous group from Virginia
    distribute Angel Tree gifts to children whose parents are in prison.
        America's 63 million volunteers are setting a fine example for our
    Nation. They are meeting essential needs in their communities, and they
    know the fulfillment that only comes from serving a cause greater than
    self. And many volunteers got started in the same way, because someone
    asked them.
        This holiday season, I ask every American to look for a challenge in
    your own community and step forward to lend a hand. You can learn about
    thousands of service opportunities by visiting the USA Freedom Corps web
    site,

    [[Page 1758]]

    usafreedomcorps.gov. Many Americans volunteer with their families,
    allowing them to spend time together while improving the lives of
    others. And if you find a need that no one else is meeting, you might
    want to start a group of your own.
        The high level of voluntarism in our country is encouraging, though
    not surprising. America is a compassionate and generous land. With their
    good works, volunteers are living out the spirit of this season, and
    year-round they are showing the heart and soul of our people, which is
    the greatest strength of our Nation.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 11:26 a.m. on December 19 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on December
    20. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on December 19 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.