Contact: Chawn Greene-Farmer

Public Relations Director

(517) 335-7875 - office

greenefarmerc@michigan.gov

Detroit, Michigan - Today, Michigan Department of Management and Budget Director Lisa Webb Sharpe is supporting United We Serve, a national effort launched by President Obama and supported by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and her cabinet to engage more Americans in serving their communities this summer. 

"In these tough economic times, we need more volunteers than ever," said DMB Director Lisa Webb Sharpe.  " Michigan's nonprofit organizations are facing increased demands for services, and volunteers, can help fill this growing need.  I am pleased to participate in United We Serve and thank the President for making this call to service. "

United We Serve kicked off on June 22 and runs through September 11, which will be marked for the first time as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.  The initiative focuses on four key areas:  education, health, energy and the environment; and community renewal.  It is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities through volunteering and service.  In Michigan, the Michigan Community Service Commission - which is chaired by First Gentleman Mulhern - will lead the effort. 

"This summer, I'm calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation," said President Obama. "Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing as what we're doing in Washington - and it's going to take all of us, working together."

Additionally, William and Dorothy Bade will receive a President's Volunteer Service Award in recognition of their service efforts with Habitat for Humanity.  The Bade family who first began volunteering in June 2003 as RV-Care-Vanners with Habitat International, completed their first build in Holland, Michigan.  Since that time, they became locally affiliated with Habitat for Humanity Detroit and have built in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mexico. 

"Extraordinary individuals like the Bade family deserve our heartfelt thanks for giving of themselves to ensure families have safe and affordable housing, "said Director Webb Sharpe. "It is an honor to recognize them for their commitment to the greater good and making a difference in the lives of so many through the years.

Individuals or organizations interested in joining the United We Serve effort can visit www.serve.gov, to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting projects or get ideas for creating projects with friends, families, and neighbors.  Individuals who contribute at least 100 hours of service during the summer will be eligible to receive a President's Volunteer Service Award.  Additional information on this opportunity is available through www.michigan.gov/volunteer.

BACKGROUND
The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard - measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.  To date, the President's Council has partnered with more than 80 Leadership Organizationsand more than 28,000 Certifying Organizationsto bestow more than 1.5 million awards to the Nation's deserving volunteers.

The Michigan Community Service Commission builds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism.  In 2009-2010, the MCSC is granting more than $7.7 million in federal and state funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities.  The MCSC is funding 19 AmeriCorps programs and 20 Learn and Serve programs.  The Governor's Service Awards, VIG and Mentor Michigan are also premier programs of the MCSC.  The MCSC is housed in the Michigan Department of Human Services, whose mission is to assist children, families, and vulnerable adults to be safe, stable, and self-supporting.  The Corporation for National and Community Service grants federal funding that the MCSC administers to its programs.

About Habitat Detroit
Habitat for Humanity Detroit is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit ecumenical Christian housing ministry providing decent, safe, affordable housing to low-income families in Detroit. Since 1986, the Detroit affiliate has rehabbed and/or built new houses for more than 230 families and revitalized five communities following its mission to eliminate substandard housing in our community. Financial and in-kind contributions and the use of volunteers for labor keep Habitat for Humanity homes affordable for low-income families.