YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2008 HARRIS WOFFORD AWARD

WASHINGTON — Youth Service America today announced open nominations for the Harris Wofford Award, three awards to Americans who are making service and service-learning the common expectation and common experience of every young person. The Harris Wofford Award honors former Senator Harris Wofford, one of our nation’s greatest public servants, and recognizes extraordinary achievements in three categories: Youth (ages 12-25), Organization (nonprofit, corporate, foundation), and Media (organization or individual). Nominations in the Youth and Organization category will be accepted through October 19, 2007.

For an application, more information, and to see winners from previous years, please go to: www.YSA.org/awards. Sponsored by State Farm Companies Foundation®, the Harris Wofford Award winners will be announced at the 19th Annual National Service-Learning Conference on April 9-12, 2008, in Minneapolis.

A former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Harris Wofford was named chairman of America’s Promise in January 2002. Mr. Wofford, who also serves on the boards of Youth Service America and America’s Promise, has dedicated much of his life to the goal of making citizen service a common expectation and experience for all Americans. Mr. Wofford played a key role in both crafting and working to pass the trailblazing legislation that created AmeriCorps, the Learn and Serve America program and the Corporation for National and Community Service. He was an instrumental figure in organizing the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in 1997, which established America’s Promise.

After helping launch the Peace Corps, Mr. Wofford held the post of special assistant to President John F. Kennedy, as well as chairman of the White House Sub-Cabinet Group on Civil Rights from 1961 to 1962. He also served as counsel for the U.S. Committee on Civil Rights and trustee to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change.

Youth Service America is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries and is committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. Founded in 1986, Youth Service America’s mission is to expand the impact of the youth service movement with communities, schools, corporations, and governments. For more information: www.YSA.org.

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