"When we see social needs in America, my administration will look first at faith-based programs and community groups, which have proven their power to save and change lives," the President said in launching the initiative at the White House Monday. Read full remarks.

Flanked by 35 nonprofit and faith leaders, the President signed two executive orders -- one creating an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the White House, and a second establishing centers in five Cabinet-level departments to remove impediments to working with religious and community groups.

President Bush said he has asked Stephen Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis and the top domestic policy advisor in the campaign, to serve on the board of the Corporation for National Service. The Corporation "has done some good work in mobilizing volunteers of all ages," the President said. The non-partisan board sets policies and approves funding for national service programs engaging over 1.5 million Americans in service through the National Senior Service Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.

The Corporation has a long track record of supporting faith-based organizations in meeting community needs. The 1993 law creating the agency permits grants to faith-based groups, while keeping strict protections against using federal funds for religious instruction, worship or proselytizing.

Last year, nearly 6,000 of the total 40,000 AmeriCorps positions were in faith-based organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Catholic Network for Volunteer Service and the National Jewish Coalition for Literacy. Some 45,000 Senior Corps volunteers provided 10 million hours of service to faith-based organizations such as the Salvation Army and Lutheran Social Services. Dozens of service-learning grants went to faith-based organizations and universities.

"This is a milestone for national service in America," said Bob Rogers, chair of the Corporation's board. "Every day thousands of national service volunteers tutor children at risk, feed the hungry and homeless, and help victims of crime and disaster. I'm delighted the President has recognized their good work, and sees a greater role in the future. We are excited to work with the White House and Congress on these initiatives to get help to those Americans who need it most."

On Tuesday, the President released the details of his proposal at a Washington, D.C. after-school program. This plan calls for tax changes to encourage charitable giving, limits on corporate liability for in-kind donations, and expansion of the "charitable choice" provisions in the 1996 welfare reform law that allowed religious groups to compete for some government funds.

The plan, called "Rallying the Armies of Compassion," (download the 173KB PDF) also calls on the new White House Office on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to "work with the Corporation for National Service to enlist volunteers for grassroots community service programs, including faith-based programs. This collaboration will expand a public-private partnership that already assists both secular and religious organizations to better respond to local needs." This is similar to a recommendation made by the Corporation's board of directors in a report to Congress issued in October 2000.

"National service is an extraordinary model of devolution and partnership'" said Wendy Zenker, Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation. "It's built on the idea that we can best solve our problems when government and the independent and private sectors work together in a grassroots partnership. To meet our country's challenges, we need more of these partnerships, and more support for the nonprofit and faith-based groups that have contributed so much to improving our country."

One example of how national service supports faith-based efforts is Habitat for Humanity. Habitat's founder Millard Fuller initially opposed getting involved with AmeriCorps, but today is an ardent champion. By providing full-time service and recruiting new volunteers, AmeriCorps has allowed Habitat to dramatically increase the number of homes it builds. AmeriCorps members have supervised 241,000 Habitat volunteers, and built more than 2,000 houses that otherwise would not have been built. "We at Habitat for Humanity feel privileged and honored to have the AmeriCorps people with us, and we want more of them as time goes on," Fuller said.

Other organizations report similar results. "With AmeriCorps members in our program, we have been able to expand our services and reach 10 times the number people we had been," said Sister Katherine Corr, SND, director of the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers AmeriCorps program. Janet Clarke, director of Catholic Social Service in Lansing, Michigan has 800 Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers who prevent truancy and work with the homeless. "RSVP is a cost-effective way to solve critical problems in education, public safety, and other critical human needs. I am proud to work with all of them," Clark said.

The expanded role for national service is part of a larger initiative by the Bush Administration to renew civil society. "It is one of the great goals of my administration to invigorate the spirit of involvement and citizenship," President Bush said on Monday. This echoed a major theme in his Inaugural Address, when the President urged Americans to "seek common good beyond your comfort; to defend needed reforms against easy attacks; to serve your nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens: citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens, building communities of service and a nation of character."

For more information on the Corporation for National Service and its programs, visit www.nationalservice.org.

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