About 2 Hours Left Today: Call the White House to Support Service-Learning Funding

Washington, DC - 4/15/11 - It's a little after 3:00 p.m. here in Washington, DC. The White House phone lines will be available for another two hours. Make the call for service-learning now.

1. Download these suggested talking points.
2. Dial 202-456-1111. Select option 1 to access the Comment Line.
3. Use the talking points to make the case for service-learning.
4. Once you're done, email sladvocate@gmail.com to let us know you made the call. We need at least 250-500 phone calls to put service-learning funding on the radar screen of White House officials. It is important that we track the number of calls being made to the White House about service-learning funding. Don't skip this step!

Remember: DO NOT ASK TO RESTORE FUNDING FOR LEARN AND SERVE AMERICA. By all accounts, that will not happen. Instead, ask the White House to give the Corporation for National and Community Service the flexibility (and frankly the priority) to maintain a foothold for service-learning in its Fiscal Year 2011 budget. If funding for service-learning is completely eliminated now, it will be almost impossible to restore in the future.

Check out www.servicelearningunited.org for the latest talking points and additional information to make the case for service-learning funding. Okay--it's 3:18 p.m. Make the call now!

Sign Letter in Support of Service-Learning Funding

Washington, DC - 4/14/11 - Learn and Serve America has been slated for elimination as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget deal negotiated by the White House and the Congress. Learn and Serve America is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service and is the ONLY federal funding source dedicated to investing in service-learning in our nation's schools and communities. This is devastating news. This decision will drastically erode—if not dismantle—the support system for service-learning that exists in most states and, to some extent, local schools and communities.

While the topline budget numbers are final, the Corporation for National and Community Service may have some discretion to identify some funds within its budget to continue modest support for service-learning in Fiscal Year 2011.

Our opportunity to save funding for service-learning is a long shot,but possible. It is essential that White House and Administration officials hear from us as soon as possible. If funding for service-learning is totally eliminated from the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, the chance of restoring it in the future is almost impossible.

Take action to make a difference for the future of service-learning funding today:

SIGN-ON. Add your school or organization's name to the list of organizations speaking out against the elimination of Learn and Serve America. Sign-on to this letter by close of business Friday, April 15.

• Download the letter here.


• Click here to add your school or organization's name to this letter.

Service Funding Situation: Message from the Save Service Campaign

Washington, DC - 4/12/11 - By now you may be starting to hear reports regarding the budget deal agreed to by the White House and Congress for FY 11. We know that there has been a $74.6 million reduction in funding for CNCS, and according to some accompanying press releases, that number includes a $23 million reduction in funding for AmeriCorps and a $40 million reduction in funding for Learn and Serve America, which is the entire Learn and Serve America budget.

There is another $12.5 million in cuts for which the source is not specified. In addition, all domestic discretionary programs will be subject to a .2 across the board cut, which has not been applied to the numbers I report above. (so there will be an additional cut).

We are working hard to thoroughly analyze the bill, but there are few specifics and there is no explanatory statement, which leaves a lot of discretion to agencies, and makes it very difficult to nail down details easily. We have reached out to our sources on the Hill and at CNCS and will let you know more as soon as we know more.

Speak. Act. Now for Service-Learning: Call Your Senators

Atlanta, GA - (4/7/11)- Over the next day or so, Congress will take action on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. It is time to raise our voices again. Senators and their staff are literally keeping tallies on who they hear from and about what. When it comes time for a vote, these tallies matter. Now is the time to flood the phone lines.

Today, participants of the 2011 National Service-Learning Conference will make the call for service-learning today. Our goal is to make at least 1,000 calls. Even if you couldn't join us in Atlanta for the conference, you can still be a voice for service-learning today.

MAKE THE CALL for service-learning.
Dial 1-855-877-3783

Click here to learn how you can make a difference for service-learning now.

Download suggested talking points you can use to make the call today.

Special thanks to the National Youth Leadership Council and the Save Service Campaign for their help in organizing this special call-in day for service-learning supporters.

2011 National Service-Learning Underway

Atlanta, Georgia - (April 6, 2011) - The 2011 National Service-Learning Conference is in full swing. National Youth Leadership Council CEO Kelita Bak issued an excellent call to action from the main stage. We're looking forward to launching a strategic MAKE THE CALL day as an opportunity for conference attendees (and others) to be a voice for service-learning today.

More than 70 young professionals and veteran service-learning leaders attended the Service-Learning Young Professionals Network (SLYPN) Welcome Reception. We enjoyed great desserts (thanks Lana!) and even better dialogue as young professionals networked with seasoned leaders and with each other. This event was convened by the National Service-Learning Partnership in collaboration with the National Youth Leadership Council. It was made possible with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Next stop...7:30 a.m. Service-Learning United Policy Town Hall Meeting at the Hyatt Regency in the International Ballroom North.

Service-Learning Young Professionals Gather in Atlanta, GA

Attention Young Professionals! It's time to get connected! Join us for the 2011 Service-Learning Young Professionals Network Welcome Reception at the 2011 National Service-Learning in Atlanta, Georgia.

When: Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Time: 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Hyatt Regency, Hanover E
Light refreshments will be served

Meet up with other young professionals (ages 20-30 something) who share your passion for service-learning and your interests in youth, education, community development or civic engagement. Mix and mingle with prominent leaders who shape service-learning practice, research, and policy on the state and national levels.

SLYPN is convened by the National Service-Learning Partnership. We are pleased to host this year's welcome reception in collaboration with the National Youth Leadership Council.

With suport from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, SLYPN was created in 2005 to provide young professionals opportunities to develop the skills and capacities they need to pursue their interests and advance their careers in service-learning. SLYPN provides young professionals unprecedented access to seasoned leaders and service-learning pioneers by providing the resources, tools, information, and connections they need to reach success.

Learn more about SLYPN here. If you haven't done so already, stay connected to SLYPN via LinkedIn (search for Service-Learning Young Professionals Network).

See you in Atlanta!

Senators Receive 10,000 Phone Calls in Support of Service and Service-Learning

March 16, 2011 - The Save Service Campaign team just reported that approximately 10,000 calls were made to members of the U.S. Senate on a single day! Can they hear us now?

Make the Call for Service & Service-Learning Today!

March 15, 2011 - Today, Service-Learning United and the National Service-Learning Partnership will join with partners from the Save Service Campaign to light up phone lines in the U.S. Senate in support of service and service-learning.

It's not too late to join us. Click here to read the full message and to learn how you can participate.

See yesterday's blog post below to see a short video clip from the Save Service Campaign.

Service Savers Episode 1

My favorite little Service-Learning Super Hero is ready to make the call for service and service-learning on Tuesday, March 15th. Are you ready to make the call? Register on www.saveservice.org and visit www.servicelearningunited.org to download talking points to help you be a voice for service-learning.

February 25, 2011 - Today during lunch, I'm going to visit the local office of one of my elected officials to speak up for service-learning funding. The National Service-Learning Partnership is not a Learn and Serve America grantee. In fact, we've never received funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Nevertheless, I will participate in the Save Service District Day today.

As an organization that believes in the power of youth engaged in service-learning, we realize how important Learn and Serve America is to providing a strong foundation for service-learning in almost every state and in schools and communities nationwide. So many of service-learning superstars and exemplary programs got their start with support from Learn and Serve America. More than 500,000 teachers and community partners access the resources of the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse each year. A much-needed service-learning longitudinal study is finally underway, but could come to an abrupt halt if we lose this fight.

There's a lot at stake and YOU still have the chance to make a difference.

Today, more than 2,000 people will make the case for service and service-learning to policymakers right in their own neighborhoods and communities. As part of the Save Service District Day, teams of regular people will visit local congressional offices to help policymakers and their staff realize the value and broad-based support for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, which includes Learn and Serve America.

Even though the Save Service District Day is already underway, there is still something you can do!

Take a few minutes to drop by the local office of your elected officials today to express support for service-learning, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and Learn and Serve America. You don't need an appointment for a scheduled meeting. Just show up! Ask to see your Member of Congress. If she/he is not available, ask to speak to the District Director or a staff member responsible for appropriations or education/service policy issues

Use the talking points and fact sheet available at http://www.servicelearningunited.org/ to help articulate what we stand to lose if funding for Learn and Serve America and the Corporation for National and Community Service goes away.

Next week, there will be a strong push to have phone calls and faxes sent to members of the U.S. Senate. Today, however, let's continue to urge people to drop by the local offices of their elected officials. We want to give Members of Congress and their staff the opportunity to put a face to the "cuts."

A small amount of your time today will help make a BIG difference in the weeks ahead as the Congress continues discussions and decisions for service-learning funding. Tell your service-learning story today.

Save Service District Day Update: New Tip Sheet for Service-Learning Supporters

February 23, 2011 - Two days and counting until the Save Service District Day on Friday, February 25 in communities across the country. This is an opportunity for service-learning supporters to visit policymakers right in their own backyard.

Be a voice for service-learning on Friday. Do not miss this opportunity to tell your service-learning story to policymakers and their staff.

• Sign up today to join a District Day team in your local area.
• Check out a new District Day Tipsheet for Service-Learning Supporters.

Message from Save Service Campaign Director AnnMaura Connolly

February 20, 2011 - Early Saturday morning, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 legislation that would make deep cuts in government spending for the rest of the fiscal year. The measure--which eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs--passed 235-189.

The House vote is just one step in the legislative process. The bill has been sent to the Senate for their consideration, and the Senate and the President will have opportunities to shape and influence the final spending package. But it is up to us to make certain that the final bill restores funding for service!

Members of Congress have left Washington and returned home for a week-long recess. They will be back in their states and districts talking to constituents, and this presents the perfect opportunity for us to express our disappointment with the House vote and ask that funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service be restored in the final spending bill.

We must take full advantage of this congressional break and this starts with "Save Service District Day" on Friday, February 25th. I encourage you to visit http://www.saveservice.org/ for more information and to sign up to visit your local congressional district office with other service (and service-learning) champions.

White House to Host Conference Call with Young Americans

On January 26 at 9:00 p.m. eastern, the White House will conduct a conference call with young Americans. Senior White House officials David Plouffe, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and Stephanie Cutter, Assistant to the President for Special Projects, will be on the line to discuss a range of issues that matter most to young people.

We urge young people who participate in service-learning to participate in this call. RSVP here.

National Challenge Places Youth on Frontlines of Solving Country’s Most Persistent Problems

Washington, DC – In the face of the biggest challenges experienced in a generation, millions of young people across the nation are responding by using their talents, creativity and voices to transform the world through national and community service.

Today, the Corporation for National and Community Service joins with the National Service-Learning Partnership, and a coalition of more than 100 national service-learning leaders, educators, and community advocates to kickoff the 4th Annual National Learn & Serve Challenge. The year-long challenge aims to expand opportunities for youth to serve and promote service-learning, a proven teaching method that harnesses the enthusiasm and skills of young people to solve problems in their schools and communities as part of their academic studies. More than 80,000 young people, parents and teachers from across 35 states kicked off the Learn and Serve Challenge last year by participating in 178 events and activities across the country.

“This is an opportunity to honor the ways youth translate what they learn in the classroom into action to improve their lives and communities,” said Patrick A. Corvington, CEO of the Corporation, which oversees Learn and Serve America. “By shining a spotlight on the great results of service-learning programs, we hope to inspire more schools, communities and groups to embrace youth service as a proven solution to our national challenges.”

Read the full article here.

Call for Presenters: National Service-Learning Conference (April 6-9, 2011, Atlanta, Georgia)

Do you have a great service-learning project/program?
Do you want to spend four fabulous days in Atlanta, GA surrounded other service-learning folks?

Then, the National Youth Leadership Council's (NYLC) National Service-Learning Conference is for you! Share your experiences and knowledge with the service-learning world, April 6-9, 2011, in Atlanta, GA.

NYLC is accepting workshop proposals NOW!

All proposals must be submitted online by midnight CDT, September 24, 2010.

We hope to see you in Atlanta!

Service-learning grants from Youth Service America!

Attention all service-learning folks! Youth Service America (YSA) has two grant opportunities for the field!

The State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant applications are due October 15, 2010. These grant awards are for $1,000 each for engaging students in service-learning.

The UnitedHealth HEROES Service-Learning Grant applications are due October 22, 2010. This is a health literacy initiative geared towards fighting childhood obesity.

U.S. News & World Report - Best Colleges 2011

Check out the report on Best Colleges: Service-Learning!