Michelle Obama Announces "United We Serve"

Today, First lady Obama announced the kick-off of United We Serve, the administration's nation-wide summer of service initiative that aims to expand the impact of existing organizations and encourage Americans to develop DIY service projects. Michelle Obama, who described service as "near and dear to [her] heart" encouraged everyone to head over to serve.gov to turn great ideas into successful service projects.

For community service opportunities in your neighborhood, checkout what Arianna calls a "craigslist for service" by going to AllForGood.org.

The fist lady said that the president is calling on all Americans to volunteer in local community service projects across the country as a means of revitalizing the economy and our national morale. "United we Serve" officially kicks off today and ends on September 11th, the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

WATCH:

In the video below, Obama urges Americans to help their local communities by volunteering at a homeless shelter, reading to kids at a local library, or getting involved in other projects. "We can rebuild our schools, but we need people to be mentors and tutors in those schools," Obama said in the video. "We can modernize our health care system, but we need volunteers in our hospitals and communities to help care for the sick and help people lead healthier lives. We can invest in clean energy, but we need people to use energy-efficient products in their homes and train for the green jobs of the future."

WATCH:

Comments

[MissingAmerica]

09:35 AM on 06/23/2009

I don't think we can hear this message enough. I'm proud to have a president and first lady who are acting and speaking on something which allows peaceful co-existence rather than talking bombs, war and "bring 'em on." The bullies have left the schoolyard, and the new kid on the block is trying to clean up the mess. As for the kids, perhaps this would give them something to do this summer. My 14-year-old grandchild is spending her summer helping an older man with his computer and with cataloging his books and memorabilia. All it takes is one! Be the change!

[ElsaIndy]

09:03 AM on 06/23/2009

Americans have always volunteered. I have spent years doing volunteer work in my community and I find this holier than thou attitude dreary and an attempt to detract us from the real concerns about our economy. The government has the obligation to care for our needy. A few good souls will not resolve the terrible wreckage of lives resulting from the economic meltdown.

I am waiting for the Obama administration, (and I voted twice for Obama and gave money to his campaign,) to hold hearings on the destruction of the banking industry. I am waiting for Obama to clean up the bad banks. Obama has been supporting the bankers and has been exceptionally timid in his approach to our cleaning up our banking crisis. His stimulus package is poorly designed and has not given the kick to the economy we had hoped.

Volunteers fund many of our charities. One reason food banks are low is because the economic meltdown has hit those who give money to them. These same folks whose resources are being depleted in this meltdown can expect the rest of their savings to melt away during the hyper inflation which will follow this massive borrowing from China.

So this emphasis on volunteerism rings hollow. Not only because Americans already volunteer but because volunteerism will not solve the problems Obama was elected to resolve. It is his stewardship of the economy that will aid the needy not "volunteerism".

[obama4america]

09:30 AM on 06/23/2009

Are you actually so stoo pid that you don't know that the more people volunteer, the more it will help people who are suffering--suffering both from the current state of the economy, and those who were suffering long before the recession. If you aren't lying and actually did vote for Obama, I'd hope you'd be a little more intelligent and come up with something other than nonsensical bull.

[nemain]

11:10 AM on 06/23/2009

It IS NOT nonsensical bull if you would do your homework. Stop knocking people until you understand how the system IS NOT working! wake up

[Chloe33]

03:08 AM on 06/23/2009

WhatEVER would we do without Michell Obama suggesting that Americans serve their communities?
As if none of us ever volunteered our services before....

[pueblocolorado]

07:59 AM on 06/23/2009

There's not a thing wrong with highlighting volunteer work. What would you rather the First Lady do? Shop?

Of course American's have always volunteered. Why not just give it a national boost. And with so many out of work, volunteering may be the thing that gets then out of the house and may lead to jobs.

"Ten Percent of Americans Do Most of the Volunteer Work"
Volunteers who give more than 100 hours a year account for over 80% of the volunteer hours.

[Weirdwriter]

02:30 PM on 06/24/2009

Obviously, the First Lady isn't talking to you, then, so why gripe?

[1088]

02:35 AM on 06/23/2009

http://www.daylife.com/photo/0el8aEB2kobmS

[AngieMom57]

12:58 AM on 06/23/2009

I signed up...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/United-We-Serve/

[ClarcKing]

10:23 PM on 06/22/2009

The administration has created $trillions$ for the perpetrators of financial terrorism against the United States. Where are we going with this "volunteer" scheme. Millions of Americans need jobs that pay. This is a very sophisticated call to slavery. The country must come to its' senses and realize that financial warfare is being conducted against the American people. A wartime job mobilization policy that will create 500,000 jobs per month is necessary now.

[Weirdwriter]

10:31 PM on 06/22/2009

Whip one up and take it to your congressional reps. Or the news media. Or just a bunch of other folks who think as you do. At least you'll be doing something quasi-useful.

[nemain]

10:58 PM on 06/22/2009

Funny, I never thought main stream media nor congressional reps would ever be considered a useful tool in getting the people's concerns to be heard to anyone that matters. Im just curious how this works out in the health care issue. Hmmm, i don't think it's working, but that would then render your comment useless and to believe that, is quasi-uninformed. However, your bio does state that you are a journalist, so this info should come as no surprise to you.

[1088]

02:34 AM on 06/23/2009

Yawn!

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

09:49 PM on 06/22/2009

Don't forget, this message from Micky and Barry, who all total, gave 5.7% of their salary to charity last year. And Number 2 Biden gave all of 900 bucks. Wow, so generous to put us in debt for charity when they have given next to nothing. There isn't anything these two elitist hypocrits can say that is sincere on this subject.

[Weirdwriter]

09:55 PM on 06/22/2009

You make those you deride look even better with every jealous, bitter, post.

[nemain]

10:04 PM on 06/22/2009

Its not a jealous, bitter post. It's just stating the facts. Moreover, most people over a certain income only donate a small percentage of their worth. The most charitable people are the have nots.

[Anthony Lema]

10:12 PM on 06/22/2009

Nah, they are just spreading Wright`s "social gospel" that they sat for 20 years absorbing in his church. He endorsed community service under the Christian label without focusing on the author........ Christ. The Obama`s endorse community service under the "giving back" label without focusing on strengthening the givers. Both vapid, empty programs with temporary results.

[geoff74024]

10:16 PM on 06/22/2009

Read some history on either family and you will find neither came from wealthy elitist families like the Bushes. They have made their own money. Obama recently can into money with his best selling books. But that is a recent windfall. 5.7% is still much greater than the national average. Very few people give that much of their income on a regular basis, wealthy or poor.

[Weirdwriter]

10:27 PM on 06/22/2009

Dunno about the rest of you altruistic folks, but I do not report every charitable donation to Uncle Sam. "Let not your left hand know what your right hand is giving." Also, giving is about more than just money, in case you haven't read the article.

Let any of you critical of another's reported donations enumerate not your own donations to charity, but your donations of time, energy, labor, materials, and especially love, to others.

[Anthony Lema]

09:40 PM on 06/22/2009

we just need matching uniforms now...................like in china.

[obama4america]

09:33 AM on 06/23/2009

Id iot. Why don't you move to china.

[tisfilm]

08:51 PM on 06/22/2009

I read Youtube.com about Michelle Obama. The Comment are terrible. Its racist word. I didn't like that.
Shame on you, Youtube.com.

[AllenFromAtlanta]

09:51 AM on 06/23/2009

Yup, the racist cockroaches have been coming out of the woodwork since the Obama’s made it to the Whitehouse. It amazes me to see so much blind hate and racism stream from my country while so many of these wannabe patriotic citizens pretend to be so concerned about justice, freedom and the American way.

[Jimmy121]

08:18 PM on 06/22/2009

Human rights under Article 19 > "I have been poor my whole life, Now the midclass > & rich can see how the poor & homeless live. You > walk down the side walk thinking you're a lot better off > than the poor & homeless are. You are saying to yourself > that will not happen to me. I have a good job, nice home. > People are one pay check from being homeless. I can't go > to church & feel welcome churchs is a business love is real religion is not, I have been turned away from churches, Read the > outlaw preyer on google.com by Johnny Paycheck its a true > story in a song it happened in Ft Worth Tx. You midclass > & rich have turned your back on us for years. Now you > can see how it feels. Go live in the woods tell the city > council, tells the police go out & run you out of town > like it happens to a lot of us poor & homeless. The city > council are the ones who hire the police to do their dirty > work."

[Jimmy121]

08:18 PM on 06/22/2009

Me & my wife was going to church & this woman said at the church said "WHY YOU COMING TO THIS CHURCH FOR" she ran the bible class its our lady of sorrows catholic church Mcallen Texas Why this woman said this is because we was homeless a wild & the church did't what homeless come to this church we live in a rv in a rv park

[KLordsha]

08:13 PM on 06/22/2009

This is really great. My job offers something similar but this seems to be a bit more comprehensive. I'm on board...

[BioLiberty]

06:58 PM on 06/22/2009

Get paid to volunteer? How about taking it off my taxes or my mortgage? if you devote your life to a community service job the Fed should pay for housing and living a wage? Were do I sign up?

[nemain]

07:01 PM on 06/22/2009

Thank you for backing up my statement below BIO! Cheers to that!!!!!!!!!

[Marrymeplease]

06:28 PM on 06/22/2009

Thank-You CathrynF for your lovely words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nemain]

06:12 PM on 06/22/2009

I have a suggestion to you folks who are pro volunteer. Start a rally in front of the white house a million strong to make volunteer work paid jobs and pro bono work should be for all big corporations. Why are we still ok with allowing the earth and all of its occupants to suffer while paying CEO's and Wall Street, insurance co.'s, et al top dollar? The day that one is more important than the other is the day we can put volunteerism to rest and pay people for doing the right thing. Enough with asking people to do things for free, lets put them to work in something they enjoy and you will see billions knocking down the doors. Cubicle or freedom of the heart to do what feels good? Which would you choose? How far will you go? I would drive to washington in a heartbeat if someone started such a rally. Cmon people.

[flapjack]

06:52 PM on 06/22/2009

The very definition of volunteer work is that it is UNPAID. Volunteerism is supposed to be about doing something on your own time to help. If you start paying volunteers then they cease to be volunteers.

Would you be ok with limiting actors, musicians, and althletes incomes as well?

[nemain]

07:00 PM on 06/22/2009

Uh, I knew the definition of volunteerism but thanks for taking the time. Did you by chance miss my point? In case you missed it, here is the cliff notes version. Why do we ask people to do the "right thing" for free and pay people top dollar for doing less than the "right thing" in our society? And yes I am against EVERYONE making insane amounts of money while people are losing their homes, starving and suffering. I take it you don't care.

[nemain]

07:04 PM on 06/22/2009

"The very definition of volunteer work is that it is UNPAID"

This is the brainwashing that we need to change or nothing will ever get fixed. We need the whole nation helping not just a quarter of it. Lets evolve.

[1088]

08:06 PM on 06/22/2009

Thank you Mr. President for saving my 401K and my pension, for without stopping the bleeding, I would have lost everything. Not only me, but my family and friends thank you also. Yes indeed, I will continue to volunteer my services to my Community, Church and Hospital. Thank you Flotus for working your @ ss off, making this World a better place. You are a great example of where I'll to be in my life.

[Weirdwriter]

09:58 PM on 06/22/2009

Thank you for being unselfish to others despite your own problems.