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De Blasio Administration Celebrates Fourth Annual Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service

April 5, 2016

NEW YORK—Marking the fourth annual Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service, Mayor de Blasio commemorated the day with a reception at the David Dinkins Municipal Building and a rally on the steps of City Hall. Over 150 national service members and 24 organizations working in communities across the city joined the celebration.

“Today we recognize the positive impact of national service,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It is an honor to celebrate the great work the City's talented, committed and energetic service year members do in order to uplift and build stronger, more inclusive communities. I applaud your efforts and encourage more New Yorkers to join a service year program in our city.”

“On this Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service we are reminded that a call to service is truly laudable and we thank those who make this their life mission,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “We are truly grateful to all New Yorkers who help lift the burden for those in need. The New York City Council is proud to be part of this day of service, and I want to thank the administration and NYC Service for continuing to provide opportunities throughout the city so that New Yorkers can help serve others.”

“Service year programs help address our city’s greatest challenges, develop our city’s workforce, and build civic leaders,” said NYC Chief Service Officer Paula Gavin. “NYC Service is honored to celebrate the work of service year members across New York City, and we are committed to growing the size and impact of service year programs in our City.”

“I am proud to work with New York City to use national service to strengthen New York City communities,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps and leads Mayor, County, and Tribal Recognition Day. “Mayors are leaders who get things done. They know first-hand the value of national service in tackling local problems. I commend Mayor de Blasio and NYC Service for their participation in this day and thank them for their ongoing support of the AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers working to get things done for New York City.”

The New York City celebration, co-sponsored by NYC Service and the City Council, highlighted the positive impact of national service on our city and recognized the over 9,000 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members who have served across the five boroughs over the last 12 months to build a stronger city.

Recognizing the impact of service year programs, NYC Service, a division of the Mayor’s Office, has expanded the number of service year programs administered by the City and currently has over 300 people in four service year programs, serving at community schools, nonprofits and City agencies across the city. Whether they are mentoring young students or helping build volunteer capacity at organizations that serve New Yorkers every day, service year members are helping to shape our city into a more equitable and inclusive place.

“We are lucky to have hardworking, dedicated City Service Corps and Civic Corps members who assist us in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies,” said Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Esposito. “Their passion for serving our city has helped many communities to become more prepared and resilient.”

"Joining a service year program is the kind of commitment that changes lives,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “I congratulate and thank all the service year members being honored today for the good work they’ve done and will continue to do for our city.”

“On behalf of the over 2.6 million people that call Brooklyn home, I want to thank the countless number of Brooklynites whose spirit of service fuels our borough forward,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “Some donate a few hours, some give years or more, but all provide an invaluable source of heart and energy that makes Brooklyn a safer place to raise healthy children and families.”

“We live in a great city and we’re lucky to have so many people who work hard to give back to New York City. Service programs truly help people throughout our city, and these programs can be especially beneficial to our youth,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Chairman of the Youth Services Committee. “I’d like to commend all of our service year members for dedicating their time to important causes, and I’d also like to thank Mayor Bill de Blasio for recognizing the power of national service.”

“Those who lend their time to the residents of our city are exemplary of what it means to be true New Yorkers," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. “The selflessness of these individuals, many of them young people, leads me to believe that they will be our future leaders, as they go well beyond the call. Whether it’s in education, social services or through nonprofits, we cherish these service year members and recognize them today for all they have done on behalf of New York City.”

“Service year members are a central part of all Free Arts NYC's programs, which provide arts-based mentoring to under-served youth and families in NYC,” said Liz Hopfan, Founder and Executive Director of Free Arts NYC. “Our Civic Corps members play a critical role in the recruitment and training of hundreds of volunteers each year – participants in our programs benefit from their service on a daily basis.”

“For the past two years, GallopNYC has had the opportunity to host service year members, and these highly motivated and talented young people have become a vital part of GallopNYC,” said Alicia Kershaw, Executive Director of GallopNYC. “GallopNYC offers Therapeutic Horseback Riding lessons to help New Yorkers with disabilities walk, talk, and learn, inspiring each one to live life as fully, productively and independently as possible. Our service year members have done everything from help recruit riders, redesign processes, and coordinate our volunteer teams city wide. Hosting these members has been transformational for GallopNYC.”

“In my five months of service at Junior High School 50 John D. Wells, I’ve learned the importance and value of altruism,” said Lawrence Booker, NYC Community Schools Corps Member. “By organizing students and families through student government and parent associations, and simply letting them know that their voice matters when it comes to their education and livelihood, I’ve begun to help encourage and empower residents of the Williamsburg, Brooklyn community to advocate for a quality educational environment.”

About NYC Service
NYC Service, a division of the Office of the Mayor, promotes volunteerism, engages New Yorkers in service, and mobilizes the power of volunteers and service year members to impact New York City's greatest needs. To learn more about NYC Service, visit nyc.gov/service.

About Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service
The Annual Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service is a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service, to thank those who serve, and to encourage citizens to give back to their communities. The event is sponsored nationally by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). For more information about CNCS, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

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