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National Service
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National Service
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Peter Shakow's Files
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FOIA Number: 2013-0661-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Political Affairs
Series/Staff Member:
Peter Shakow; Joe Velasquez
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
5123
FolderID:
Folder Title:
National Service
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
28
5
2
3
08/23/94 12:39
202 606 4938
CORP NATL SVC
002
CORPORATION
FOR NATIONAL
SERVICE
August 11, 1994
To:
Joe Velasquez
From: Herbert Block HB
Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Relations
RE: AMERICORPS LAUNCH - SEPTEMBER 12
On Monday, September 12th the Corporation for National Service
will launch its AmeriCorps program. There will be events in every
state on the same day. I want to review with you the planned
events and identify any potential political concerns involving the
Primary or General elections and the participation of incumbents
and candidates.
The launch events are requested to be hosted by the Governor
with the invited participation of Senators, Representatives, and
the Mayors of cities in the state where AmeriCorps members will
serve. The attached memo describes the launch in detail.
In 16 cities there will be major events run by the
Corporation, each with the participation of a Cabinet member or one
of the four White House principals. These "concentration sites"
are Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington DC/
Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, El Paso/Rio Grande, Kansas
City, MO, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Cleveland
and Denver.
The attached "hold the date" notice was sent to all Senators,
Members of Congress, Governors and major Mayors (of both parties).
Please call me at 606-5000 ext 247 to discuss this launch.
1100 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington. DC 20525
Telephone 202-506-5000
Fax 202-606-4928
Getting Things Done.
AmeriCorps, National Service
Learn and Serve America
National Senior Service Corps
08/23/94
12:40
202 606 4938
CORP NATL SVC
003
August 5, 1994
CORPORATION
The Honorable 1-2~
FOR NATIONAL
Mayor,
SERVICE
City of 3-
4-
Dear Mayor 2-:
I am pleased to announce that following many months of planning and hard work, the
launch of AmeriCorps, the President's national service initiative, is scheduled for Monday,
September 12, 1994. Following the launch, AmeriCorps Members will begin serving in
communities throughout the nation "getting things done" to help solve pressing problems in
public safety, education, human needs and the environment; strengthening the ties that bind us
together as a people; and making our communities better places to live.
There will be over fifty AmeriCorps launch events, involving every state in the nation.
So that you may participate in the launch of AmeriCorps in 3~, please ask your scheduler
to save the date of September 12, 1994. On that day, President Clinton, along with Mrs.
Clinton, Vice President Gore, Mrs. Gore, the Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Congress,
Governors and Mayors will swear in the first AmeriCorps Members. We are in the process of
working with the Commission on National Service in your state to determine the site for the
launch. We will keep you informed about the details of the launch as they become available.
If you have any questions about the launch, please contact me or Gene Sofer, Director
of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations at (202) 606-5000 ext. 235. I look forward
to working with you over the coming weeks to ensure the success of the AmeriCorps launch
events.
Sincerely,
Ehi EO.
Chief Executive Officer
1100 Vermont Avenue. NW
Washington. DC 20525
Telephone 202-606-5000
Fax 202-606-4928
Getting Things Done.
AmeriCorps, National Service
Learn and Serve America
National Senior Service Corps
08/23/94
12:41
20202 606 4938
CORP NATL SVC
004
TO:
STATE COMMISSIONS
CORPORATION FIELD OFFICES
THE AMERICORPS NATIONAL SERVICE NETWORK
CORPORATION
OF PROGRAMS
FROM:
THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC LIAISON
FOR NATIONAL
DEPARTMENTS OF THE CORPORATION FOR
SERVICE
NATIONAL SERVICE
RE:
AMERICORPS LAUNCH AND THREE MONTH ROLLOUT
DATE:
AUGUST 8, 1994
o
AMERICORPS NATIONAL LAUNCH DATE
After an extensive review/audit involving the Corporation,
Cabinet and Agency principals, and the AmeriCorps National
Service Network of Programs to date, Monday, September
12, 1994 has been selected to launch AmeriCorps
nationwide.
o
AMERICORPS NATIONAL LAUNCH OBJECTIVES
On September 12, a significant number of the approximate
20,000 Americans who will be engaged in national service
in 1994 will join their fellow AmeriCorps Members at
scores of special venues (large and small) across the
United States to take the AmeriCorps oath and celebrate
the beginning of their AmeriCorps service.
The dual and complementary objectives of the AmeriCorps
National Launch are 1) to honor and reinforce the American
tradition of service, and 2) to mark the opportunity
AmeriCorps presents to further the ethic and work of
service into a national movement that will get things
done.
To accomplish these objectives, the AmeriCorps National
Launch is being planned to inspire and delight all
AmeriCorps Members, the communities they will serve, and
the nation as a whole.
This memorandum is being distributed to State Commissions
Corporation Field Offices, and the AmeriCorps National
Service Network of Programs both to date you on overall
plans for the launch, and to alert you to the procedures
now in place by which you will be receiving regular
communications and launch-oriented assistance from
designated members of the Corporation's Public Affairs and
Public Liaison Staff.
1100 Vermont Avenue. NW
Washington. DC 20525
Telephone 202-606-5000
Fax 202-606-4928
Getting Things Done.
AmeriCorps. National Service
Learn and Serve America
National Senior Service Corps
08/23/94
12:41
202 606 4938
CORP NATL SVC
005
Page Two
o
SPECIAL NOTE TO AMERICORPS PROGRAMS NOT OPERATIONAL BY
LAUNCH
Please know we are fully aware that some AmeriCorps Programs from
the National Non-Profits will not have completed their recruiting
by the launch date. And, of course, significant numbers of the
state competitive and state formula programs will be in the midst
of their organization and recruitment process at launch time.
In that regard, the launch is being organized and promoted
not as one-stop national recognition day, but as the
beginning of what will be an intensive three month "roll-
out" featuring aggressive communications outreach and
opportunity for all AmeriCorps Programs.
Please be assured, it is our intent that those AmeriCorps Programs
not operational by September 12 be fully involved in recognition
and media outreach surrounding the launch activities. As such,
launch events should be viewed as opportunities to further ongoing
local identity and recruitment efforts. Importantly, program and
recruitment quality should not be sacrificed in order to meet the
launch date.
o
A SINGLE STATE/SINGLE EVENT STRATEGY WHEN APPROPRIATE
The AmeriCorps National Service Network of Programs clearly
reflects the Corporation's intent for AmeriCorps to meet local
needs in local communities. The result is an AmeriCorps Network
of multiple programs and wide ranging numbers of AmeriCorps
Members per state.
Obviously, it will be impractical and ineffective for each and
every AmeriCorps Program to mount individual launch events on
September 12.
To concentrate Corporation, White House, and state resources and
communications outreach for the AmeriCorps Launch, we have
organized a launch strategy generally encouraging and emphasizing
a single event per state (where appropriate) that will draw
AmeriCorps Members statewide to a specific venue.
O
AMERICORPS "CONCENTRATION SITES"
To further direct our resources and impact, we have targeted
"concentration" launch sites that will receive a significant level
of organizational input and monitoring from the Corporation. The
selection of these sites was based primarily on large
concentrations of AmeriCorps Programs and AmeriCorps Members, and
by geographic and program diversity.
08/23/94
12:42
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Page Three
Chicago, Illinois
These concentration sites include the following: ^ New York City,
New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland;
Atlanta, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Houston and El Paso/Rio
Grande, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas; Los Angeles,
San Francisco, San Diego, California; Seattle,
Washington; Cleveland, Ohio; and Denver, Colorado.
To the extent possible, all AmeriCorps Programs reflecting these
"concentration" sites will travel to such sites on launch day to
join their fellow statewide AmeriCorps Members.
o
LAUNCH EVENTS/PROGRAM FORMATS
We fully expect the AmeriCorps Launch to involve the participation
of the President, the Vice President, the First Lady, and Mrs.
Gore -- all engaged in one or more AmeriCorps sites. In
addition, fifteen Cabinet Members and agency heads (winners of
AmeriCorps program grants) will be traveling to sites across the
nation to participate as key speakers at AmeriCorps events. As
the Congress is not expected to be in session that Monday, we
expect significant Congressional participation as well.
As we have indicated, the launch venues and the participant makeup
will vary per site. However, all "concentration sites" and sites
in other states when appropriate will generally feature the
following:
Invited governors, mayors, local and statewide public
officials, key political and service constituencies, and
service heroes.
Statewide AmeriCorps Members in AmeriCorps T-shirt
uniforms (also sweatshirt/jackets and hats) bearing the
AmeriCorps seal/logo.
A swearing-in segment featuring the taking of a common
oath as AmeriCorps Members.
A ceremony that will include the participation of
spokespersons from a Roosevelt-era CCC member; to a
veteran who benefited from the G.I. Bill (our service
for education message) ; to a Peace Corps member; to a
new local AmeriCorps Member (s).
Major national and/or local celebrity/performing artist
participation.
08/23/94
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Page Four
O
AN IMPORTANT CONCENTRATION ON OTHER SITES/STATES AS
WELL
Please Note: AmeriCorps events will obviously be taking place
in all other non-concentration states/sites with assistance from
the Corporation in conjunction with State Commissions and
Corporation Field Offices.
Occasionally, AmeriCorps Programs and Members may be of
significant numbers to encourage consideration of a single
statewide event or -- in some cases -- regional event in non-
concentration sites.
Importantly, events planned by a local program or programs of
whatever size in non-concentration sites will be of at least equal
interest to the national and regional media due to the special
nature of the AmeriCorps Programs and AmeriCorps Members within
any given state.
-
The AmeriCorps National Service Launch Media Data
Base:
To assure recognition of all AmeriCorps Programs and their
AmeriCorps Members, we are establishing a national data base of
AmeriCorps Launch events by state that will enable all national
and local media to track the launch event/AmeriCorps Program of
their choice.
o
THE AMERICORPS "LAUNCH PAD"
-
A Campaign Desking Operation:
To accomplish the activities and objectives of the AmeriCorps
National Launch, the Corporation has formed a campaign-style
boiler room known as the AmeriCorps "Launch Pad" -- comprised of
the Corporation's Public Affairs and Public Liaison staff.
-
Five Launch Cluster Regions:
The Launch Pad will operate as a desking operation -- tracking the
already existing five Clusters of the Corporation's Program
staffs. These clusters include the Pacific, Atlantic, South,
South West, and North Central regions.
08/23/94
12:43
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CORP NATL SVC
008
Page Five
-
Launch Cluster Staffing:
Each Cluster represents 10 to 11 states. Along with a Cluster
leader, each Cluster will be represented by 3 to 4 staff who will
oversee approximately three states per representative -- thereby
assuring significant coordination and assistance with the State
Commissions, the Corporation Field Offices, and AmeriCorps
Programs in each state.
Your Cluster representative will be sending a cover memo
accompanying this communiqué introducing him or herself. Your
representative will be calling your shortly to discuss the
contents of this memo and procedures for future coordination.
COMMON NATIONAL IDENTITY
One of the most important and timely responsibilities of your
Cluster representative will be the distribution to you of the
common items provided by the Corporation to all AmeriCorps
Programs by launch date. These include:
AmeriCorps T-Shirts, jackets (sweat shirt jackets), and
caps.
A supply of AmeriCorps bumper stickers, buttons,
posters, and banners.
Copies of the television national Public Service
Announcement and national radio PSAs for localized
recruiting and recognition purposes.
An orientation video, AmeriCorps Member handbooks,
national press kits, and national spokesperson talking
points.
Final Note: Please do not make any specific plans for your
launch until we have completed this opportunity to update you on
general launch plans and share information with you on a state by
state basis.
We are exploring the possibility of making (limited) launch funds
available to the states for launch-specific activities. We will
be able to update you on these potential funding in the near
future.