In recognition of his support for national service, Congressman Hal Rogers was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Voices for National Service.  Awards were formally presented in Washington, DC at the 12^th Annual Friends of National Service Awards sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal, CSX, Bain Capital, Sankaty Advisors, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.  

Click here to see the full list of award winners and details regarding the event, held on February 10^th. 

Congressman Rogers joined a bipartisan group of advocates being honored, including Governors Terry Branstad (R-IA) and Rick Snyder (R-MI), Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Patty Murray (D-WA), Jonathan Lavine of Bain Capital, and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson. 

Voices for National Service President AnnMaura Connolly said, “Congressman Hal Rogers launched Operation UNITE in 2003 to combat substance abuse in Kentucky.  At the center of this comprehensive community-wide assault on the drug epidemic are 44 AmeriCorps members who provide math tutoring, recruit volunteers, and lead drug abuse prevention education programs across Kentucky.  This year, Congressman Rogers also teamed up with Governor Beshear and Wendy Spencer to announce a new VISTA project that will engage full-time AmeriCorps members to tackle poverty and expand opportunity in Kentucky’s Appalachian region. We are deeply grateful to Congressman Rogers for his visionary leadership and support for national service.”

“I am honored to accept this award from Voices for National Service,” said Congressman Rogers.  “National service makes sense, tapping the energy of local citizens to solve local problems. AmeriCorps members are an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities, and the individuals they serve. They have helped our eastern Kentucky students improve test scores, make healthier choices about food and exercise, and they have mentored thousands of students from broken homes. I thank all those who have answered the call to service by joining AmeriCorps, and I accept this award on their behalf.”

Honorees were selected based on recognition and support for national service as a solution to some of the nation’s most pressing challenges.  Each award winner has helped to raise public awareness of national service and elevate national service as a legislative priority. 

National service is a cost-effective strategy for engaging citizens, improving communities, and strengthening the nation.  In communities across the country, national service members provide critical services to fulfill unmet needs. National service members tutor and mentor struggling students, help Americans lead healthier lives, provide job training and other services to returning veterans, preserve the nation’s parks and public lands, offer disaster relief and recovery assistance, and support independent living for seniors and Americans with disabilities.  For every federal dollar invested in national service, there are returns to society of nearly four dollars in terms of higher earnings, increased output, and other community-wide benefits.

Voices for National Service is a diverse coalition of national service programs, state service commissions and individual champions, who work to ensure Americans of all ages have the opportunity to serve and volunteer in their community. Founded in 2003, Voices for National Service has built strong bipartisan support among our nation's leaders and helped position national service as a viable policy solution to tackle unmet needs, expand opportunity, and leverage human capital.

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