By Chester Spellman, Director of AmeriCorps

As we observe AmeriCorps Week 2018, we have the opportunity to remember the many different ways national service opens doors, expands opportunities, and strengthens communities across the nation.

For more than 20 years, this national service program has been a shining beacon, attracting those who looked within themselves and found a desire to give their time and energy to take on the challenges that our nation faces. And our members represent a cross-section of America, as young people from small towns to big cities and everywhere in between have taken the pledge to “get things done” for America.

What exactly does it mean to “get things done”?

It means answering the call for our citizens in need during natural and manmade disasters, providing hope and encouragement that there will be brighter days ahead in the long recovery process, even after they experience some of the darkest hours of their lives. 

It means that communities can take back streets lost to neglect, transforming abandoned spaces into places where people can walk or play without fear.

It means that children and young people can strive for academic achievements that open doors to opportunity, with encouragement from the days before kindergarten through high school and college graduation to put the American dream within reach.

It means accepting the responsibility of stewardship and acting as caretakers of the great natural beauty that our nation hosts from coast to coast and ensuring it can be experienced by future generations.

It means accepting the honor to serve our veterans and military families and show our support as a way to repay the sacrifices they have made for our security and freedom. It means all these things and more.

We celebrate the 75,000 current AmeriCorps members and more than 1 million AmeriCorps alumni who have served more than 1.4 billion hours in this effort since 1994. Their commitment has made this nation a better place for all people.

AmeriCorps members have demonstrated the good that can be accomplished by a dedicated group of people focused on a single goal. They embody the AmeriCorps pledge to make our citizens “safer, smarter, and healthier,” and their service makes us optimistic about the future of our country.

We salute our AmeriCorps members and share our sincere gratitude for their service. We thank you as you continue to “get things done” for America.

Chester Spellman is the Director of AmeriCorps.