President Bush Endorsed Community Service and Urged More Citizens to be
Incolved

Missouri's community service programs are ready to take the next step, if
the President and Congress agree to increase service programs, according to
Missouri Community Service Commission Chair Joe Maxwell.  Maxwell is
Missouri's lieutenant governor.

President Bush used his State of the Union address Tuesday night (1-29-02)
to call on all Americans to serve their country for the equivalent of two
years and proposed more service opportunities through AmeriCorps,
administered in Missouri by the Community Service Commission.

Reminding all that service is an essential part of being an American, the
President proposed the creation of USA Freedom Corps. This new initiative
will be a comprehensive, integrated citizen service initiative to engage
more citizens in service at home and abroad by strengthening AmeriCorps,
Senior Corps and the Peace Corps, and by establishing a new Citizen Corps
for homeland defense.

"USA Freedom Corps will expand and improve the good efforts of AmeriCorps
and Senior Corps to recruit more than 200,000 new volunteers," President
Bush told the joint session of Congress. "Through the gathering momentum of
millions of acts of service and decency and kindness, I know we can
overcome evil with greater good."

Maxwell noted, "I am delighted that the President recognizes the role
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps play, and the great contributions they can make
to their country in the future. I am particularly pleased that the
President will call on AmeriCorps members to help enlist at least another 75,000
Americans as community volunteers - Its not just the service AmeriCorps
members perform, it's the example they set for the rest of us."

More than 230 AmeriCorps members performed nearly 300,000 hours of service
in 2000-2001 and generated an additional 1,200 volunteers. Currently, 244
members serve in Commission administered AmeriCorps programs across
Missouri.