CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HOSTS THE 2ND ANNUAL CITYWIDE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EXPO

Philadelphia, September 8, 2010 – Today, the City of Philadelphia and Mayor Michael A. Nutter recognized the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance by hosting the 2nd Annual Citywide Civic Engagement Expo at City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza. Global Citizen/MLK365 and the Mayor’s Office partnered to organize the event, where 100 local nonprofits and City agencies educated the public about their work. Information about volunteer service opportunities in the Philadelphia region was provided to citizens and City employees at the Expo. rnrnMayor Nutter recognized the year-round contributions made by local organizations. He emphasized the importance of volunteering in Philadelphia and the impact of volunteerism on the City. “Philadelphia’s longstanding commitment to service is one reason why our City is so great,” said Mayor Nutter. “I can’t think of a better way to recognize the National Day of Service and Remembrance than to provide Philadelphians with the opportunity to collectively commit to service on September 11th and throughout the year.” rnrnDuring his remarks, Mayor Nutter announced the opening of the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, to be led by the City’s Chief Service Officer Catie C. Wolfgang and staffed by a team of AmeriCorps VISTA members. This new office will be a resource for citizens who want to engage in volunteer efforts designed to address the City’s most pressing challenges.rnrn“The Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service will partner closely with other City Departments, the private and nonprofit sectors and the region’s higher education community to engage citizens in volunteer efforts,” said Catie C. Wolfgang. “It’s also among our top priorities to bring more attention and support to the grassroots efforts of citizens who are deeply engaged in supporting their communities.”rnrnGlobal Citizen, organizer of the annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service- the nation’s largest MLK day event- was the lead organizer of today’s Expo. Today’s event is part of the organization’s year-round MLK365 program, which promotes civic engagement, sustainable volunteering and civic responsibility among diverse groups. rnrn“We’re delighted to partner with the Mayor’s Office, the City’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service and one hundred extraordinary organizations and City agencies that make a difference every day in the lives of Philadelphians,” said Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen. “In order to solve the pressing daily challenges our city faces, we must harness all available resources, including City government, community organizations, the private sector, and active citizen volunteers.”rnrnEighty 8th grade students from First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy attended to learn more about the wealth of nonprofits to call on when planning service learning projects throughout the year. “We feel it’s important to make a change in the world and to begin making that change now,” said students of First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy. “If you want something to change you should work to make that a possibility. It’s our job as citizens and students to step up and help our communities and we hope others will feel inspired by our actions. Through our visit to this expo, we hope to learn about service, about our city and about how we can impact the world in a positive way.”rnrnThe 2nd Annual Citywide Civic Engagement Expo was the first in a month-long series of events supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service to commemorate September 11th as the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Additional events organized by the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Greater Philadelphia CARES, and the Mayor’s Office of Education will take place across the City over the next several weeks. This collective push to increase civic engagement and volunteering across Philadelphia will culminate in the release of Philadelphia’s Citywide Service plan on Monday, September 27th at the National Constitution Center.