November 23-29, 2008  National Family Week

Participate in 19th Annual National & Global Youth Service Day Throughout the year, the Alliance for Children and Families will promote programs, ideas, and activities sponsored by national organizations that support the core values inherent in National Family Week (NFW). These organizations reinforce the NFW objective to strengthen children and families, especially those who are vulnerable.    National & Global Youth Service Day, (April 20-22, 2007), the largest service event in the world, will soon be mobilizing millions of youth across the world, in efforts, to identify and address the needs of their communities through service-learning projects and community service.   Service-learning projects are designed and organized by youth, along with the support of local communities, schools, and organizations. Projects cover a broad range of issues including literacy, the environment, healthcare, nutrition, hunger and poverty.   Last year, Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis, an Alliance for Children and Families member and NFW participant, hosted a youth-organized multicultural showcase and benefit that featured local hip-hop, reggaeton, and spoken-word youth performers.   Over 400 volunteers generated proceeds that went to international causes such as fighting AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and working to end child labor. The goals of National & Global Youth Service Day are to mobilize youth to identify and address the needs of their communities through service, to support youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and to educate the public, media and policymakers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders. Youth Service America, a National Family Week partner, is a national nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations 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.