LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola joined more than 3,500 mayors, county officials, and tribal leaders across the country Tuesday, April 5, in a nationwide bipartisan initiative to highlight the impact of national service in tackling local problems. 

“National service is a vital resource for our city,” said Stodola. “AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers make our cities better places to live. As mayor of Little Rock, I am grateful for the dedication and sacrifice of these citizens, who are helping make our great city stronger, safer, and healthier.” 

Given the many social needs facing communities, county and city leaders are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet local needs. More than 400 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers serve in more than a dozen programs in Little Rock. These national service participants provide vital support through local programs like Our House and Arkansas Reads, as well as national organizations operating in the region such as Teach for America and City Year. 

The nation’s chief volunteer official, Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, joined Stodola and more than 200 national service participants at the Little Rock Recognition event. 

“I am proud to work with Little Rock to use national service to strengthen Arkansas communities,” said Spencer. “Mayors are leaders who get things done. They know first-hand the value of national service in tackling local problems.I commend Mayor Stodola for his participation in this day and thank him for his ongoing support of the AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers working to ‘get things done’ for Little Rock.”

Since 1994, more than 8,600 Arkansas residents have served more than 14 million hours and have qualified for Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, or college scholarships, totaling more than $27.8 million. This year, CNCS will invest $18.7 million in national service programming in Arkansas, with nearly $11 million coming into Little Rock and the surrounding communities.

The Mayor and County Day of Recognition for National Service is a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service in counties, to thank those who serve, and to encourage citizens to give back to their communities. The day is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, and Cities of Service.

As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages millions of Americans in service at more than 50,000 locations through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other programs. National service participants address the most pressing challenges facing our counties and nation, from educating students for the jobs of the 21st century and supporting veterans and military families to preserving the environment and helping communities recover from natural disasters.

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The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.