President calls on Americans to serve
Rochester AmeriCorps could see membership growth

In his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush called on all Americans to serve their country for two years. Here in Rochester, Bush's call to action could translate into dozens more AmeriCorps members and thousands of hours of additional community service.

"As a result of the President's call to service, we expect to see an increase in AmeriCorps," said Marilyn Rosche, director of the Rochester AmeriCorps program. "We're already receiving applications for our next term, which starts in September. People seem to be looking for ways to make a difference, and AmeriCorps is one of those ways."

In his remarks, the President also called for the formation of the USA Freedom Corps. This new initiative is an integrated citizen-service program designed to engage more citizens in service at home and abroad by strengthening the AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and the Peace Corps programs, and by establishing a new Citizen Corps for homeland defense.

Rochester AmeriCorps, located at Monroe Community College's Damon City Campus, began in 1994 and enrolls approximately 100 members annually who are placed at a variety of community organizations. Members tutor children, work in city recreation centers, assist block clubs, work with PAC-TAC, promote conflict resolution, engage in substance abuse prevention and assist the elderly, among other activities.

The President will propose an additional 25,000 AmeriCorps members next year, a 50 percent addition to the 50,000 AmeriCorps members now serving with community and faith-based organizations to meet critical needs in education, public safety, public health, the environment and disaster relief.

"USA Freedom Corps will expand and improve the good efforts of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps to recruit more than 20,000 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."

To contact AmeriCorps, call (585) 262-1778, or visit them on the web at www.monroecc.edu, then click on "A-Z Index," and then click on "AmeriCorps."