Presidential Volunteer Service Award
Here at FORA, we are able to do what we do thanks to the many volunteers who want to commit their time and energy towards helping our students through the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Our volunteers show up every day with patience and understanding and help our students become more empowered through the power of education. We thank each and every one of our volunteers for their commitment and diligence!
This honor is the most prestigious award available for volunteers in the United States. It has been awarded by the U.S. President under various names since the 1980s to people who have donated significant hours with exemplary performance for important volunteer causes. In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded this award under the name the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Source 1). We want to celebrate our volunteers in this way because we believe that through their commitment and example, they inspire others to do the same.
Anyone can become eligible for this award who: volunteers with our program, meets the hours requirement, and meets our assessment that the person has met the highest standards of volunteerism and service.
These hours must be accumulated within one calendar year. To qualify for an award under a given age group, the nominee must have been a part of that age group for at least 7 months of the year.
To recognize their achievements, recipients of this award will receive a personalized certificate of achievement and a letter signed by the US President (Source 2).
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We at FORA went through the process of receiving Presidential certification for our program because we believe that it is important to empower volunteers who have a heart for this work and who understand the need to empower refugees. It feels like a small consolation to us that we can give our volunteers this prestigious award to ensure that the rest of the world knows what we already do; their hard-work and dedication to service is extraordinary.
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If you’re interested in learning more about this award’s history and eligibility requirements, you can find more information here: https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/
Source 1: "About the President's Volunteer Service Award - Presidential ...." https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/about. Accessed 30 Jun. 2020.
Source 2: "Award Packages - The President's Volunteer Service Award." https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/award-packages. Accessed 30 Jun. 2020.