SERVICE YEAR ALLIANCE LAUNCHES IN NYC FOLLOWING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Gen. Stan McChrystal, Madeleine Albright, Condoleeza Rice, Jimmy Kimmel, Scooter Braun, Arne Duncan, Jean Case, Wes Moore, Walter Isaacson and Joe Gebbia all served as launch chairs for the organization’s kickoff event
November 15, 2016 - Yesterday, Service Year Alliance gathered leaders from our nation’s top companies, philanthropies, nonprofits and higher education institutions, as well as service year corps members, high school and college students at ArtBeam in New York City to launch the next chapter of the service year movement. The organization announced its plans to grow the number of service years in America from 65,000 annually to 100,000 by 2019 and one million within a generation, as it seeks to make the experience a common expectation and common opportunity for young Americans of all backgrounds.
One week following this year’s presidential election, the event focused on what we have to do as a nation to unify people of all backgrounds behind a call to service and empower the next generation to solve our most pressing challenges. A service year, through programs like AmeriCorps, is one of the most powerful ways for young people to transform our country, impact the community, and become the leaders that our nation needs.
General (Ret.) Stan McChrystal, Chair of Service Year Alliance; Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; Walter Isaacson, CEO of the Aspen Institute; and Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation were in attendance. Additionally, Secretary Madeleine Albright, entertainment executive Scooter Braun, Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia, TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, social entrepreneur Wes Moore, and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice lent their support as Service Year Alliance Launch Chairs.
“After a political campaign that divided our nation, we need to be united, and it's always been at our core value as Americans to serve,” said General (Ret.) Stan McChrystal. “It’s who we are, and it's who we’ve always been.”
Service Year Alliance rolled out its groundbreaking technology platform where young people can explore service year opportunities and connect with organizations looking for diverse talent, a national recruitment campaign to inspire young people to do a service year, and a call to organizations, higher education leaders, and government officials to expand or create service year programs at a time when our country needs ideas that bring us together.
“We must create and maintain a community — a movement — that is true to our vision despite periods of uncertainty. That recommitment starts right now with the official launch of Service Year Alliance and the next chapter of the service year movement,” said Shirley Sagawa, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “I’m hopeful we can make this a reality because we have a generation of young people from all walks of life looking for opportunities to lead and to make a profound difference.”
The event featured stories from service year corps members, commitments from companies and leaders — including Airbnb and Cisco — speeches from influential leaders in the service field — including Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service and Carrie Hessler-Radelet, the Director of the Peace Corps —and musical performances from service year corps members and high school students. Following the main event, Service Year Alliance hosted a panel to discuss the importance of service years in the context of today’s headlines. Participants included Walter Isaacson, Gen. Stan McChrystal, Maisha Leek, Jean Case, and Lisette Nieves.
About Service Year Alliance
Service Year Alliance is working to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. A service year before, during, or after college — or as a way to find your path — gives young people the chance to transform their lives, make an impact in their community, and become the active citizens and leaders our nation needs. Expanding service years has the power to revitalize cities, uplift and educate children at risk, and empower communities struggling with poverty. It can unite the most diverse nation in history, binding people of different backgrounds through common cause. Service Year Alliance is asking nonprofits, higher education institutions, cities and states, companies and foundations, policymakers of both parties, and people of all ages to join the movement. Learn more at serviceyear.org.
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