Expand National Service? February 9, 2009

Hosted by: Hudson Institute

When soon-to-be President Barack Obama devoted time on the Martin Luther King, Jr., day of service to painting a shelter for homeless teens, he reminded us of his intention to call all Americans to a greater national commitment to service. Indeed, there is a powerful movement abroad to expand government support for national service programs, not only by adding substantially to the number of compensated service positions, but also by providing incentives to businesses, retirees, and nonprofits to play a larger role in encouraging voluntarism. Some have even argued, as BRUCE REED and John Bridgeland put it in a recent New York Times op-ed, that “an investment in service as part of the economic recovery plan could add hundreds of thousands of jobs” to a faltering national employment picture. Is this the time for a major new expansion of national service programs?

This and other questions will be the focus of a February 9 panel discussion hosted by Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal. Panelists will include SHIRLEY SAGAWA of the consulting firm sagawa/jospin; BRUCE REED of the Democratic Leadership Council; George Mason University's ILYA SOMIN; and LESLIE LENKOWSKY of Indiana University. The Bradley Center’s WILLIAM SCHAMBRA will moderate the discussion. Lunch will be served. Please join us!

Official Website: www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=hudson_upcoming_events&id=657