David Litt of Funny or Die Shares How He Uses Humor to Encourage Civic Participation

Posted on November 6, 2018December 5, 2018 by Case Foundation

This interview is the ninth of nine in a series of Q and A’s with leading changemakers, representing the Millennial generation who are working across sectors to be the force for change on the issues they care about most.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work

I used to write speeches and jokes for President Obama. Then I wrote a book, called Thanks, Obama, about my experiences writing speeches and jokes for President Obama. Now I’m writing a TV show based on that book. I’m also working with Funny Or Die to encourage young people to vote. 

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

Nothing too big, just democracy under constant attack. I think the solution is a mix of more engagement from citizens and an understanding from policy makers that we need to fix our institutions or we’ll lose them.  

With technology, the barriers to sharing your message and galvanize networks for action have continued to come down—how do you think that has influenced the way you and others take part in social movements and causes?

We saw this at the White House. You can bypass the traditional back and forth and speak directly to your audience. I think that has tremendous potential—but it also means audiences have fragmented and have shorter attention spans.  

Why do you think it’s important that causes use the right language and tools to meet young people where they are to engage with social issues today?

In the Obama White House we used the phrase “meet people where they live.” It doesn’t matter what you’re saying if you’re not giving your audience a chance to hear you.  

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

It’s not easy to balance being funny with making a point—which I guess is good because if it were easy I wouldn’t have any of my jobs. 

What has been your favorite success story?

We brought the actor Keegan Michael Key to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to play “Luther, Obama’s Anger Translator” next to the real-life president. And we included a message about climate change. That was a win. 

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

Oh, man, there’s so many. With the midterms today, I’m going to give a shout out to the incredible young people running for office. There are so many amazing stories from candidates this year, and what unites them all is a sense that we can’t wait for someone else to solve our problems. We have to step up.  

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

I think a lot of coverage of my generation focuses on the people who were most able to recover personally from the Great Recession. But for lots of people my age or a little younger (or older) the recession is still shaping our lives—and leaving us with a profound sense that something or someone failed us.  

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

I’ve learned that public service doesn’t always have to be a full-time job, but it does have to be a part-time job. So, I’m hoping to keep writing things that speak to me, while at the same time making America a little bit better.  

How can people interested in your cause learn more?

I complain on Twitter @davidlitt and I post vacation photos on Instagram, also @davidlitt.

We will be featuring interviews from each of the leaders representing the Millennial generation on key movements and issues today who participated in our recent 10-day Instagram takeover. Check out the rest of this series and see their stories as part of an infographic detailing ten key traits about how Millennials engage with causes, based on our ten years of research, here.

Celebrating Inclusive Entrepreneurship at White House Demo Day

Posted on August 4, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

American innovation has long been the envy of the world. Throughout our country’s history, thanks to our free enterprise system, people from all walks of life have brought forth innovations that benefited society broadly—in all sectors such as energy, transportation, health care and more. These innovations often came about from those who “lived the problem” and dreamed great solutions that could benefit the masses. These were entrepreneurs who built young enterprises to bring their products and services to market and who often changed the world in the process.

Today, we need to ensure that American innovation isn’t simply about providing more convenience for the privileged—such as easier hotel bookings, more and comfortable ways to get from point A to point B or same-day delivery of groceries from an upscale market. To build solutions for the future, we need to move beyond the “app culture” and engage a new class of entrepreneurs—many who have lived real problems and are building real solutions to the challenges in our communities, and around the globe. But in recent years, this segment of entrepreneurs has often been left on the sidelines of innovations, with no steady flow of capital, mentorship or celebration focused on them.

It is well known that the vast majority of today’s celebrated startups continue to be founded by white, well-educated, well-networked males. And while we celebrate all startups and new innovations—we are underleveraged as a nation if those in more marginalized communities are left on the sidelines. There is, for instance, immense potential for women, people of color and those who don’t live on the coasts or graduate from our nation’s most elite schools. Women are leading 36 percent of all businesses in the U.S., but only receive 10 percent of venture capital funding. Minority-owned businesses are growing at a faster clip than non-minority owned businesses, but are receiving an even smaller fraction of investments. Seventy five percent of venture capital today goes to three states—California, New York and Massachusetts. There is a growing realization that this has to change, including at the highest levels in our nation and among those who are driving this change.

For example, today in New Orleans, PowerMoves, a minority-focused incubator, is backing young enterprises that reach across socio-economic barriers to bring opportunities to those often the last to benefit from innovation. In the first year of operation, PowerMoves worked with 87 companies to create 350 jobs in New Orleans and Detroit. Because of PowerMoves’ work, these companies were able to secure $14M in additional capital commitments to high growth, high tech startups led by entrepreneurs of color. Crystal McDonald, a PowerMoves entrepreneur, developed GoToInterview, a service to connect hourly workers with companies that have demand for them, and won the Rise of the Rest pitch competition in New Orleans.

And there are many more examples of entrepreneurs from underrepresented populations that are seeking solutions to problems that benefit all, like Pashon Murray, a dynamic entrepreneur of color in Detroit. Inspired at an early age by her father’s waste hauling company, Pashon turned family knowledge into a scalable business that takes food waste from companies, including General Motors and the Detroit Zoo, and transforms it into rich soil for local farmers to enhance crop productivity and create jobs. For Pashon, it’s not just about the hauling of waste—she is also a fellow at the MIT Media Lab studying the science of composting and waste reduction. She is combining science, engineering, the needs of a community and her entrepreneurial spirit to create a viable, scalable business in Detroit.

The opportunity to tap into the potential of these entrepreneurs is top of mind for us at the Case Foundation, and why we are delighted that today, the White House will host its first ever Demo Day, with a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship—bringing together entrepreneurs from all walks of life and from all across the country. We look forward to joining President Obama today in a commitment to see “more startup hotbeds emerge in every corner of America, and that those underrepresented in entrepreneurship are being tapped to fully contribute their entrepreneurial talents.”

In fact, here at the Case Foundation, we’ve long believed in the potential for unleashing entrepreneurs—and entrepreneurial approaches—as a clear path for making the world a better place. Over the past 18 years, we’ve developed and supported a range of initiatives—many of them in partnership with the White House, with Presidents of both parties—that put entrepreneurs in the middle of solving big problems, from the West Bank to Detroit, from DC to Nairobi. These initiatives include the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership, an effort to bring entrepreneurship opportunities to the West Bank that I was asked to co-chair in 2007 by President George W. Bush, and the Startup America Partnership, focused on celebrating and accelerating entrepreneurs here in the U.S., which we launched in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation and the Obama administration in 2011. More recently, our focus has shifted to an effort to unleash new capital for entrepreneurs building businesses that seek to address significant social challenges, through our work to catalyze the burgeoning impact investing movement.

Our efforts to support entrepreneurs and the role they play in driving innovation and job growth in the U.S. and around the world have certainly been rewarding. But in the past year, we began to ask ourselves, what role can entrepreneurship play in bringing new opportunities to those left on the sideline? How can we level the playing field for underrepresented communities—including women and people of color—to become entrepreneurs and grow thriving businesses? And how can we facilitate the creation of more businesses that address the challenges that marginalized populations are facing? To help us answer these questions, we began an exploration at the beginning of the year into potential opportunities for inclusive entrepreneurship, and funded two organizations doing important work in this space—Forward Cities and Opportunity Nation. We also joined the most recent Rise of the Rest tour, supplementing the visits to Richmond, Raleigh-Durham, Charleston, Atlanta and New Orleans with conversations focused on how to expand entrepreneurship as an opportunity for all. And we just returned last week from exploring these topics on a global scale during a trip to Africa, focused on exploring burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystems in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria.

We are committed to expanding our support for inclusive entrepreneurship, and in the coming months you will hear more from us on our efforts to build upon the momentum from national conversations around diversity, reduce common barriers to entrepreneurship faced by diverse entrepreneurs and scale local pilots into national programs serving women and entrepreneurs of color.

We have a tremendous opportunity today to tap into the uniquely American legacy of leveraging entrepreneurs to grow our economy, strengthen communities and solve intractable problems. But we’ll never recognize our full potential if we don’t focus on ensuring that we give all people—no matter their gender, ethnicity or economic background—the opportunity to be a part of growing entrepreneurial ecosystems, and tap their unique experiences to solve significant challenges. Imagine what is possible when we have a full team and all fields in play!

Collaboration Will Define the Future of Service

Posted on July 23, 2013November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

This blog was co-authored by Case Foundation Senior Fellow Sonal Shah

“I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good…I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I will ask every member of my government to become involved. The old ideas are new again because they are not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in.”

President George H.W. Bush, 1990
One of our country’s greatest strengths is our commitment to community and service. President George H.W. Bush modeled that both in his personal life and as President, with the creation of the Corporation for National Service and the National and Community Trust Act of 1993.

Since then, subsequent administrations have continued to build on that legacy of prioritizing service — the creation of AmeriCorps under President Clinton, President George W. Bush’s creation of the first Council on Service and Civic Participation, and the Obama Administration’s passing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and creation of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.

We know that millions of Americans give and serve locally and globally. And we believe there is still much more we can do to prioritize service and civic engagement. For that reason, we were so pleased that President Obama announced a new initiative on July 15 during a White House event honoring President George H.W. Bush for his lifelong commitment to service.

The President announced the creation of a Task Force led by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Domestic Policy Council to identify opportunities for the federal government to build better intergovernmental and public-private partnerships to expand national service. This was a national moment to see Presidents Obama and Bush and national service leaders focused on amplifying the work of the nation’s innovators and problem-solvers.

The announcement comes at an important time, as our country needs to double down on addressing some of our toughest challenges. We have the skills, the ingenuity, and the entrepreneurial spirit that can make transformational change. The President’s announcement catalyzed the sector by asking federal agencies to make national service a priority.

We have seen the power of collaboration within the federal government, as well as the power of partnerships that reach out to multiple stakeholders — corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and others — to drive social change. This is the moment to propel national service to achieve real outcomes. The Case Foundation looks forward to working with the government and programs like Reimagining Service to continue to help build innovative partnerships by working with government, corporations, foundations, and the social sector.

We currently support A Billion + Change in leading a movement for companies to enable their employees to provide skills-based volunteer services to nonprofits. Companies are finding that it’s more valuable — for the company, for the employee, and for the nonprofit — for an individual to lend her skills, and not just her time. Indeed, at more than $2 billion worth of time pledged, it’s the largest corporate commitment to service in America.

There are also other programs finding new ways to provide resources to the social and public sectors — Code for America and FuseCorps field tech geeks and other professionals on fellowships with city and state governments to improve service provision; Taproot and Catchafire connect individuals with pro bono opportunities; and Venture for America fields top college grads on fellowships with startups in areas that are struggling financially. The demand for these programs is growing. People want to find ways to serve.

The Franklin Project, led by General Stanley McChrystal, John Bridgeland, and Alan Khazei, is convening thought leaders from across the country on how to drastically expand civilian national service. And within the government, US Chief Technology Officer Todd Park and Deputy CTO Jen Pahlka have launched the second class of the Presidential Innovation Fellows, which is mobilizing some of the best minds from the private sector to solve problems across many federal agencies.

We are inspired by the innovators, service members, and the millions of Americans who give their time to make our communities and our country a better place. It is why we were excited to see President Obama continue President George H.W. Bush’s legacy to lift up the thousands and thousands of points of light represented by those who, through their service, strengthen our communities and our nation.

Changing the world takes TALENT

Posted on July 4, 2013November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

If you talk to the chief executives of any successful company, they will usually attribute their success to three things: talent, talent, talent. Steve and I have always believed this to be true, both in our work in the private sector, as well as in our work in the social sector. Talent is usually the difference between an organization’s ability to scale, innovate, or execute effectively, versus others that do not.

In the social sector, which we define as those organizations responsible for finding or funding solutions to complex social challenges, there are many remarkable and passionate leaders who inspire us. And yet, most would agree that we’re lacking a “deep bench” of talent in this sector, perhaps more so than in most. There are many contributing factors at work here, often including a lower base of compensation, a perceived limitation to career growth opportunities, and the burden of vetting and approval processes for those wanting a career in government, among other barriers. So what to do?

At the Case Foundation, we have worked tirelessly with partners that include Points of Light, the Corporation for National and Community Service, Deloitte, HP, IBM, Capital One, and others, to inspire and encourage companies to contribute time and talent to nonprofits to help them scale and more effectively sustain the work they do through an initiative called A Billion + Change. We also applaud organizations like IBM’s Corporate Service Corps, Code for America, Venture for America, and Teach for America that are developing new models for deploying top talent to change the world.

We have been encouraged by others working on this strategic issue, including the Bridgespan Group, the White House Forum on Nonprofit Leadership convened by American Express, Public Allies, and others; executive recruiting firms that specialize in nonprofit recruiting; and even Harvard University, which is working with the public sector to share best practices of successful companies in developing and recruiting best-in-class talent.

But this issue turned more personal for us in recent weeks as one of our very own “best in class” executives at the Case Foundation, Michael Smith, came forward to let us know he had been approached by the White House to head up the Social Innovation Fund, a key Obama Administration initiative. Michael is an extraordinary talent and invaluable contributor to the work of the Case Foundation. His progressive climb at the Case Foundation is indicative of his many remarkable attributes. In his work with us, Michael has led our social innovation efforts and together with other Case Foundation colleagues, has added so much value to the work we do and to that of our partners. Michael has guided many of our most successful initiatives, such as the Startup America Partnership and Citizen-Centered solutions, and has been a trusted and valued face and ally to most of our closest partners.

As Michael came forward to seek encouragement to pursue the opportunity presented to him, my first reaction was one of slight panic, and yet I had to remind myself that what the public sector needs most greatly is talent. It was one of those moments – was I going to act in manner that was consistent with what I’ve been preaching about the need for talent in the social sector, or would I try to talk Michael out of it and let the self-interested side win the day? Thankfully, the better angels won the day. We feel honored that “one of our own” has been asked to step into this important role and we quickly not only gave Michael our blessing, but each of us has committed to doing what we can to be helpful to him in his new role. While it won’t be possible to replace Michael, we anticipate bringing a new SVP of Social Innovation on board soon. In the meantime, our exceptional Senior Fellow Sonal Shah, a sector-crosser herself, has volunteered to spend more time with us in the next few months to make sure we keep the balls in the air during this transition.

The challenges facing our communities and our nation are daunting, while at the same time many resources are shrinking. In many cases we need to retool, rethink, and bring new approaches to old problems. And we need to think about how sectors can work together to build a deep bench of talent to take on these important and strategic roles in the public sector. Leaders across sectors need to think about the talent they have – whether their own or those who fill a valuable slot on their teams — and just how we can begin to build a “bench” to ensure that the brightest and best are getting placed where their talents can be fully leveraged to build stronger communities and a stronger nation. For some this might be executive-on-loan programs – for example, we’re delighted to see our partner Jen Pahlka taking a year-long leave from Code for America to serve as White House Deputy CTO. For others it may mean developing policies that enable the best-in-class talent to give a small amount of their time to nonprofits in board or consulting roles. And then for some, as we faced this week, it may take a larger commitment — encouraging valued senior executives to serve the public sector when asked.

The scale and scope of the problems we face as a nation will require that we use all the tools at our disposal, that we disrupt the stale and stagnant, and that we realize game-changing solutions will require blurring and (maybe erasing) the lines between .com, .org and.gov. And, I’m grateful to the folks like Michael, Jen, Sonal, and many others that are leading the way.

The White House Celebrates Corporate Pro Bono Service with A Billion + Change

Posted on July 6, 2012November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

On June 27, the Case Foundation was pleased to join our fellow leadership committee members at the White House along with other corporate, government, and nonprofit leaders who are creating social change through skills-based volunteerism. We were part of a celebration and a challenge issued by A Billion + Change, a national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services from the business community to nonprofits.

More than half of the 200 companies that have pledged to create or expand skills-based volunteering programs joined us to talk about how far corporations have come in the past 10 years or so in enabling their employees to donate their skills, and not just their time, to nonprofits. We talked about not only the benefits to companies’ nonprofit partners, but also to their employees and to their bottom line.

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and the Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, opened the forum and said that companies participating in A Billion + Change were a model for others driving positive social change around the world. Her comments were echoed later in the day by Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and by Billion + Change Honorary Chairman Senator Mark Warner, who said that at a time when nonprofits are facing decreased revenues and more work, pro bono from corporations is increasingly vital.

The sentiments from leaders in the public sector were matched by those in the private sector. Our CEO Jean Case led a panel with leaders from Deloitte, the Ritz-Carlton, Capital One, COTTON7, and Golin Harris to talk about the business benefits of supporting employee pro bono. Across the board, each of the panelists said that his employees and his company received at least as much value from nonprofit partners as was provided. Pro bono was characterized as a win-win-win proposition for companies, employees, and nonprofits.

We have come a long way since Jean Case helped to start A Billion + Change in 2008 when she was a member of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. So far, we are proud to announce that more than 200 companies have pledged over $1.8 billion and nearly 12 million hours worth of time and talent to nonprofits.

But, we still have a way to go to reach our goal. We are seeking a total of 500 companies willing to pledge their best business skills and talents to build the capacity of nonprofits at home and around the world. Together, we will inspire the largest commitment of corporate pro bono service in history so that one day, skills-based volunteering will be the ‘new normal’ in every workplace.

To join us in the pro bono movement, visit www.abillionpluschange.org and make a pledge.

Want to learn more?

Read Jean Case’s post in Fast Company on making pro bono the new normal for corporate America.
Read Senator Mark Warner’s challenge to businesses in The Huffington Post to take the pledge to give pro bono.
Read what Ryan Scott, the CEO of Causecast, has to say in Forbes about how pro bono creates a competitive edge.

Jean Case on White House Blog: Public Sector Prizes in Innovation Democracy

Posted on June 12, 2012November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

Today, the Case Foundation was proud to co-present “Collaborative Innovation: Public Sector Prizes” with the Joyce Foundation and the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy, bringing together hundreds of leaders from the Administration and federal agencies and some of the most recognizable companies and organizations to discuss how prizes and challenges are sparking innovation and deepening citizen engagement.

We were honored to present the Department of Health and Human Services with the first Award of Excellence in Advancing Public Sector Prizes and Innovation for their commitment to this increasingly used tool to solve some of our country’s most complex problems.

The Case Foundation has long supported prizes (like our America’s Giving Challenge) as a way to ignite community engagement, connect with hard-to-reach populations, spur innovation, and make philanthropy more democratic. The White House has been at the forefront of a similar appreciation of prizes and competitions in the public sector.To find new ideas and solutions for solving a range of challenges, we must be willing to fearlessly experiment and embrace approaches like prizes that produce impact.

For more about the Collaborative Innovation event and the Case Foundation’s support of public sector competitions and prizes, read our CEO Jean Case’s post on the White House blog.

Let’s Startup America!

Posted on January 31, 2011November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

America’s story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have, against great odds, created innovative products and services that have changed the world – and created millions of jobs.

Today, as the Internet and new social technologies continue to explode and create new opportunities, as science and medicine advance at lightning speeds, and as the world grows more interconnected, the opportunities for entrepreneurship abound, but it’s up to a new class of creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation.

As a result, I’m honored and thrilled to serve as chair of the Startup America Partnership, announced at the White House today, and co-funded by the Case Foundation and our great friends at the Kauffman Foundation, with Kauffman President and CEO Carl Schramm serving as a founding board member.

Startup America is a White House campaign to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation, and the Partnership represents the private sector’s commitment to the campaign. By creating an alliance of entrepreneurs, funders, CEOs, universities and other leaders, the Partnership represents an exciting opportunity for government and the private sector to work together to dramatically increase the prevalence, scale, and success of innovative, high-growth U.S. firms.

I know from my days at AOL that government can open doors and help spark new ideas. It can convene leaders and influencers from different worlds and put them in the same room to share ideas. It can challenge people and companies to do better, to do more. It can invest in and shape ground breaking research, and then, at its smartest, move aside and let innovation take hold.

But government can’t do it alone. Businesses need to take up the challenge and help to create an ecosystem that nurtures the creation and growth of new enterprises, companies that are “built to last” and will be the cornerstones of tomorrow’s economy.

Working together is the key. The Startup America Partnership will work to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country with new initiatives that encourage private sector investment in job-creating startups, accelerate research, and address barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

It starts by celebrating entrepreneurship. Last week, when I heard President Obama say, “We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair,” I gave a cheer. As a society, we invest time and energy in what we celebrate. This Partnership is a way to celebrate, recognize and encourage entrepreneurs and innovators as a critical gear in the engine of growth.

I am excited to embark on this journey, working with many of our great public sector leaders who were at the launch today: Commerce Secretary Locke, the new head of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling, and SBA administrator Karen Mills. I am equally excited about the enthusiasm that the private sector has shown with significant commitments from companies like Intel, IBM, Ernst and Young, TechStars and so many others.

But, honestly, what I am most excited about is igniting a spark that propels young entrepreneurs and enterprises everywhere.

So, tell us what you think, share your ideas, and let us know your #startupamerica story on Twitter as well. Together we can create jobs, build the next great companies that bring hope and opportunity to communities, and Startup America!

Public-Private Strategy Session with White House Takes Citizen Participation to the Next Level

Posted on April 30, 2010November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

This morning, I have the honor of kicking off the public-private strategy session we’re hosting with the White House on driving innovation and civic dialogue through the use of prizes, challenges and open grantmaking.

I feel a great sense of excitement as we head into this dialogue that focuses largely on new, breakthrough opportunities to more fully engage citizens in our public sector efforts. Here at the Case Foundation, we began to see the potential in these types of approaches to ignite civic participation, especially when combined with new interactive technologies, when we launched the Make It Your Own Awards in 2007. Since then, we have seen that potential grow as both the philanthropic and corporate sectors have continued to experiment through programs that incent the public to participate in decision-making.

Now, we have the opportunity to take lessons we’ve learned – and those of peers – from these early innovations and apply them to a sector where they have the potential to make the most impact on the public – in the federal government. Through the early experimentation, we’ve seen that there is a clear appetite from the public to have a more active role in making decisions that affect their daily lives and their communities, and now it’s time to capitalize on that appetite by creating opportunities and moments that capture the best ideas and move them forward.

Earlier this week, I was asked “why now?” when it comes to the government’s adoption of prizes and challenges. Frankly, I don’t think it was possible until now – the merging of the movement toward improving transparency and reducing bureaucracy at the federal level, with the evolution of Web 2.0 technologies has opened the door for the creation of programs that can successfully engage the public and encourage their direct involvement in driving innovation and improving how government serves them. At its core, this is an opportunity for government to return to the roots of democracy – a government that is for the people, and more significantly by the people.

And since this day-long session is all about reaching new audiences to identify new solutions and engaging all citizens in decision-making, we’re particularly excited about the fact that we’ll be able to bring the day to the public – no matter where they are. We encourage everyone interested in this topic to join our interactive Q&A sessions featuring leading innovators in this space, taking place online and live from the event. The schedule includes an exciting mix of public and private sector experts and practitioners, including Sonal Shah of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, Peter Diamandis of the X Prize Foundation, Aneesh Chopra, U.S. CTO, the team from the Pepsi Refresh Project and others. We’ll hope you’ll join us on this exciting day!

Jean Case Joins Obama and Bush at Presidential Forum on Service

Posted on October 16, 2009November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

Today at the Points of Light Institute’s Presidential Forum on Service in College Station, Texas, both President Obama and President George H.W. Bush will join together to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the vision of a thousand “Points of Light.” I have the privilege of participating in a panel dialogue about the future of service at the event, just prior to the Presidents’ remarks. It seems only fitting that as we look back, we look forward. I feel both honored and humbled to have the opportunity today to share the same stage with two Presidents, but mostly I feel deeply moved to know that a commitment to service in the nation by our leaders is as alive as its ever been, and indeed, maybe more so.

You may recall back to 1988, when then Vice President George H.W. Bush said in his acceptance speech for the nomination of the Presidency:

“We are a nation of communities, of thousands and tens of thousands of ethnic, religious, social, business, labor union, neighborhood, regional, and other organizations, all of them varied, voluntary, and unique … a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.”

These poetic and inspirational words led President George H.W. Bush to establish the Points of Light Foundation in 1990 (a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization to engage more people and more resources effectively in volunteer service to help solve serious social problems) and inspired a massive community and national service movement that has been growing ever since. As we mark this momentous celebration, we honor the enormous advances the service movement has seen over the last 20 years beginning with the leadership of President George H. W. Bush and continuing under the leadership of Presidents William J. Clinton, George W. Bush and now President Barack Obama.

The past 20 years have seen great progress for the volunteer sector, but we still have a long way to go to ensure that every citizen has a role and sense of responsibility in making his community and nation strong. As we look across the landscape we see bright spots that bring us great hope:

We have a private sector making it a priority to give of their time and professional skills to help nonprofits strengthen their scale and sustainability.
Our students in high school and in college are demanding new opportunities to give back, and when they don’t have opportunities in place – they are creating their own.
There is now a White House Office of Social Innovation and a new cadre of social entrepreneurs in the private sector representing a “reimagining” of what’s possible and creating new solutions that will tackle old problems.
A new generation of technology solutions are enabling smarter, better ways to enable civic engagement and better connections between citizens and their government and civic institutions.

The obstacles and divides that we face as a nation can seem daunting at times, but today, as leaders of the free world leave partisan differences behind to come together in celebration of our highest ideals as a nation — the power of individual citizens to use their time, talent, networks and imagination to solve problems, drive change and create impact in our nation and around the world — let’s recommit ourselves to rolling up our sleeves, linking arms and making a difference together.

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

white house