The federal government agency overseeing the efforts of millions of Americans in the service and volunteering field zeroed in on seven individuals yesterday, part of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s annual national conference, aimed at broadening and improving the nation’s volunteering programs.
The training and networking conference drew more than 5,000 service and volunteering leader attendees from across the country to San Francisco, 1,000 of whom attended the town hall meeting at which seven Spirit of Service awards were presented.
“These honorees represent America at its best and are living proof that service is a solution to some of our toughest problems,” said Nicola Goren, CNCS acting CEO. “They have gone above and beyond the call to serve and are a shining example of the power of individuals to make a difference.”
The four AmeriCorps recipients are:
*AmeriCorps member Zenada Solano of Pahrump, Nev., a translator within the Hispanic community through a county school district family literacy program. Among the hundreds she has served, Solano has helped some with the U.S. citizenship application process and others with their children’s immunization process so they can enroll them in kindergarten.
*AmeriCorps alum Seth Marbin of San Francisco, a Google employee who originated the idea of GoogleServe – which started as a single day for Google employees to take part in community service and grew to an international service week in 2008.
*AmeriCorps VISTA member Tanequa Neale, who serves with the White-Williams Scholars, a Philadelphia organization that assists low-income, high-achieving students fulfill their potential. Neale works to expand White-Williams Scholars by reconnecting alumni back to the program.
*AmeriCorps NCCC member Eddie Brown of Orange County, Calif., who has taken on various responsibilities at the Denver campus, including youth tutor and pre-placement interviewer for families displaced by Hurricane Ike.
