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In the President’s 2002 State of the Union Address, he asked all Americans to dedicate at least two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetime in service to others.
April 18-24 marked National Volunteer Week and it was noted that about 60 million Americans volunteer every year through charitable organizations, but that means millions more of us need to do more. To help, President George W. Bush created the USA Freedom Corps and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to help Americans answer this “call to service” by providing meaningful opportunities to serve, both at home and abroad.
There are many opportunities for all of us, no matter our age, to volunteer and help those in need. USDA has a longstanding record of providing volunteer opportunities and supporting volunteer initiatives by our employees. I commend the employees at the Agricultural Marketing Service for organizing a volunteer fair in April for USDA employees in Washington, D.C. to learn about opportunities in the area.
One outstanding example is the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Earth Team. Volunteering has been integral to America’s soil and water conservation movement since the 1930s. But in 1981, building on that volunteer concept, Congress gave NRCS the authority to use volunteers to implement the agency’s mission.
At that time, the Earth Team had 327 volunteers who donated 29,000 hours. By 2003, the Earth Team totaled 43,834 volunteers giving over 1 million hours of their time, talent, and energy to help NRCS establish conservation practices on the land. NRCS estimates the value of their time at $16.6 million or 483 staff years. For more ideas on where and how to volunteer visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov/.
Volunteering is an investment in the future. That’s why my Leaders of Tomorrow Initiative, which began in 2002, focuses on exposing future leaders to the opportunities in the food and agriculture sector through real-world experiences.
The youngest Leaders of Tomorrow are asked to display in pictures and words answers to questions about agriculture. Their work is displayed in the portico of the Jamie Whitten Building in Washington, D.C., and on the web at www.usda.gov/leadersoftomorrow
I also invite high school and college students to accompany me on speaking engagements and meetings with farmers and the press. This helps them build their own leadership skills while learning about the issues of the day.
This initiative is just the beginning of what I hope will be a growing program to encourage mentorship, career development, and community service.
Each of us has talents, abilities, and resources that can help someone in need. By sharing our compassion through acts of kindness, we can make America a better place--one heart at a time. •