United We Serve
On Monday, June 22, a new summer service initiative launched at the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service.  The initiative, called United We Serve, aimed to put volunteers on a path to sustained service.  United We Serve ran all summer long and concluded in a National Day of Service and Remembrance on Friday, September 11. 

The United We Serve  effort focused on four broad issues:
1. Promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, and public land restoration
2. Supporting education and literacy for all Americans
3. Increasing health care access, public health awareness, and prevention
4. Providing community renewal to areas hit hardest by the economic crisis

At the national level, the United We Serve initiative highlighted events and good stories weekly that focused on the following topics:

July 20 - Community Renewal
July 27 - Education
August 3 - Energy and Environment
August 10 - Health
August 24 - Safety and Security
August 31 - Interfaith Service

During these weeks, the Michigan Community Service Commission also worked to engage and support efforts focused on these topics in our state.  Please read the  MCSC's United We Serve recap  to learn about the summer-long efforts.

September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance
The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) invited all Michiganders to participate in service on September 11 - placing a special emphasis on combating hunger.  According to the Food Bank Council of Michigan, more than 1.1 million people in our state use the Michigan food bank network annually.  And, in 2009, Michigan food banks have distributed nearly 80 million pounds of food.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm officially declared September 11 as a Day of Service and Remembrance in Michigan.  Please read her  official proclamation .

Show Your Support/Share Your Efforts
As part of the United We Serve initiative, a new online portal, www.serve.gov , was launched to help individuals, groups, and organizations find volunteer opportunities.  For a volunteer opportunity near you, please visit www.serve.gov today.  You can search by ZIP code and keyword, as well as post your own service events and/or opportunities.

There are various ways you can receive valuable information on the United We Serve initiative.  Please read the  Frequently Asked Questions  or the  Informational Page .  You can also search "United We Serve - Michigan" on Facebook and become a fan of this summer service effort. 

In Michigan, individuals who participate in the initiative will be eligible to receive Presidential Service Awards.   Details are available about this exciting opportunity .

Create The Good
Fifty years ago, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired high school principal, founded AARP with the motto, "To serve, not be served."  AARP continues to honor its founder by connecting members and engaging them and their networks in a wide range of opportunities to serve others via the Create The Good network.  Anyone can visit the Create The Good website to find hundreds of opportunities to get involved in activities that help their neighbors and communities - whether they have five minutes or five hours.  Create The Good expands on traditional ways to volunteer by exploring simple steps, time flexible opportunities, and a wide variety of issues in which to get involved.  Join more than 9 million Americans making a difference through AARP.  Sign up for the Create The Good network today at www.aarp.org/CreateTheGood .