Today, tens of thousands of young Americans are serving with programs like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and YouthBuild, solving our most pressing challenges — poverty, education, the environment, and disaster relief — and transforming their own lives. After an election season exposed so many differences, divisions, and anxieties, coming together with a common purpose has become even more urgent. 

Consider how powerful it is to have a young person from Birmingham serving alongside a young person from Brooklyn; a Democrat serving with a Republican; a Muslim serving alongside a Christian.

Now imagine the game-changing impact if it was not thousands of people per year, but millions.

Service years bring Americans together, put our values into action, and create the next generation of leaders our nation needs. We’re calling on Congress to expand service years for A Greater Us. Let’s make a year of service part of growing up in America.