Every day, in cities across America, national service is tackling tough problems and strengthening communities. Whether supporting food banks and homeless shelters, restoring city parks, building homes, managing community volunteers, providing health services, or tutoring and mentoring students, national service members help mayors tackle tough problems.

To spotlight the impact of national service and thank those who serve, mayors across the country will participate in the first-ever Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service on April 9, 2013. On this day, mayors will hold public events and use traditional and social media to highlight the value and impact of national service to the nation’s cities.

This initiative is being led by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; the Corporation for National and Community Service; Cities of Service; and other organizations.

As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages more than four million citizens in service at 70,000 sites across the country. CNCS leverages federal and private funds to support organizations that achieve measurable results where the need is greatest.

Last year, CNCS leveraged more than $1 billion in investments for organizations operating or based in 500 cities with a population of at least 30,000. National service also plays a key role in many smaller cities and towns and rural areas.

Why a Day of Recognition?

As solution-focused local elected officials, mayors understand the key role citizens play in meeting community needs. A coordinated day of recognition presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the key role that national service plays in solving pressing problems. Participating in the day will highlight the importance of citizen service, bolster support for nonprofit and national service groups, and help bring more city residents into service.

Who Can Participate?

Mayors, city or county managers, or other chief executives of cities of any size.

How Mayors Can Get Involved

There are several ways to get involved. We suggest that mayors participate in one of each of the three categories below.

Public Events

• Visit a national service project
• Invite national service members to City Hall for a roundtable discussion
• Serve alongside national service members to highlight the important work they do in the community

Recognition

• Issue a mayoral proclamation naming April 9 as National Service Recognition Day
• Put out a report on the scope and impact of national service in your city
• Take a group photo with all national service members in your city

Media

• Use social media to thank national service members serving in your community
• Talk about national service in your weekly press conference or other media venue
• Write an op-ed about the unique contributions of national service in your city
  

Additional Resources

CNCS offers a variety of resources that can help mayors learn about service and volunteering in their cities and engage more city residents in service:

• Factsheet: Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service
• The annual Volunteering and Civic Life in in America report is the most comprehensive data on volunteering ever assembled, providing detailed information on volunteering trends and demographics in the U.S., all fifty states, and more than 150 major cities.
• Each year, CNCS produces National Service Profiles that list all national service resources in every state. CNCS will also produce profiles for cities in preparation for the Mayor’s Day of Recognition for National Service.