Every day, millions of Americans volunteer, using their time, talents, and compassion to make a difference in the lives of others. By mentoring a child, caring for an elderly neighbor, teaching someone to read, or bringing food and clothes to those who need them, Americans are helping to foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility for generations to come. It is through these acts of kindness and decency that we are able to demonstrate the true character and compassion of our country.

Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service to others. It encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspires others to make volunteering a central part of their lives. The President's Volunteer Service Award is a Presidential recognition program for Americans of all ages, who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer service. The program recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard - measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period.

Given their ongoing service activity, many individuals, families, and groups may have already met the requirements to earn the President's Volunteer Service Award.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was created to recognize the tens of millions of Americans who have made a sustained commitment to volunteer service. The Award is given to individuals, families and groups that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer service and civic participation over the course of a 12-month period.

To receive the award, keep a record of your volunteer service (# of hours), the agencies you volunteered with, and the name of a person at the nonprofit organization you volunteered at who can verify your achievement.  Submit your volunteer service record to Kelly Nevins at knevins@vcri.org or mail to Kelly Nevins, Executive Director, Volunteer Center of RI, 55 Bradford Street, Suite 302, Providence, RI  02903.