Message from the Mayor

September 27, 2010

Dear Friends,

As Philadelphians, we have always been committed to helping our fellow citizens.  I am deeply proud of the ethic of service that permeates our city.  Whether it’s our network of 6,000 block captains dedicated to supporting their communities, the outpouring of volunteers for Philly’s Annual Spring Clean-Up, the generosity of City government employees who tutor children on their lunch hour or the thousands of citizens who volunteer regularly in support of issues they care about, Philadelphians have always found meaningful ways to help one another.
 
In January of 2010, I was delighted to announce that Philadelphia was awarded the Cities of Service Leadership Grant, enabling me to hire the City’s first Chief Service Officer and establish the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service.  It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I release SERVE Philadelphia, the City’s strategic blueprint for service.
  
SERVE Philadelphia has three important goals:

• Create or elevate volunteer opportunities that impact  educational outcomes and contribute to community vitality
• Make it easier for citizens of every age to volunteer
• Support both public and private sector efforts to engage more volunteers in ways that have the greatest impact

I want to thank all of you who will play a role in bringing SERVE Philadelphia to life over the next year and beyond.  Together, we can share our time, energy, and expertise to make positive changes in our city.  As volunteers, we can support the efforts of City government, champion the work of Philadelphia’s extraordinary non-profit organizations and follow the example of service set by generations of Philadelphians.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”  Serving in partnership with one another, I am confident there is no limit to what we can accomplish.