In a press conference held last Friday, Retired General Colin Powell formally launched “Renew America Together,” President-Elect Obama’s national service initiative that will commence on Martin Luther King Day 2009. He also announced usaservice.org, a web site created by the Inauguration Committee to help Americans connect with local service opportunities on January 19th and beyond.

As activities surrounding the inauguration will feature national service as a central theme, General Powell called on all Americans to ask what they can do for someone in need. He also congratulated the President- and Vice President-Elect on their commitment to service, expressing his excitement about seeing service as priority in the next administration.

Roxanna Garcia Marcus of Year Up, Washington D.C., also spoke at the press conference, highlighting the ways in which her participation in national service has changed her life. Introduced as the “perfect example of volunteerism”, Roxana reinforced the ways that Year Up’s model changes both the lives of clients and volunteers, and she issued a timely call for all Americans to see our present challenges as opportunities for change.

It’s so exciting to see national service play such a prominent role in the Inaugural activities!

To locate service opportunities in your area, visit http://usaservice.org