Buffalo Business Receives National Recognition: President’s Volunteer Service Awards

In July of 2009, Susan Marie Public Relations was certified as a business that continues to support faith based, organizational and community related events through her volunteer service over a two year span. A Certifying Organization is an entity that is approved to review and verify a volunteer’s hours, and nominate and distribute the President’s Volunteer Service Awards. COs are oftentimes, local offices, chapters, affiliates, offices, stores, or member organizations that operate under the auspices of a national Leadership Organization.

The Corporation for National and Community Service was formed to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet community needs. Each year, more than 1.5 million individuals of all ages and backgrounds help meet local needs through a wide array of service opportunities. These include projects in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and other critical areas through the Corporation's three major programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.

Certifying Organizations agree to perform the following roles:

• Verify that the volunteer(s) has completed the number of service hours required to earn a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

• Nominate verified volunteers by completing and submitting forms to receive the award(s).

• Pay the nominal cost for the award package and its shipping, either directly or through local sponsorship.

• Receive the award package and distribute the award to each recipient.
  

The President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime. There are more than 28,000 certifying organizations to bestow more than 1.5 million awards to the Nations deserving volunteers.

Awards to be given include:

• Personalized Certificate (with individual’s name)
• Lapel Pin (bronze, silver, gold or lifetime depending on total volunteer hours)
• Congratulatory Letter from the President of the United States
• Letter from the President's Council on Service & Civic Participation

During involvement with tunes4food.org, Susan received this certification after tracking her volunteer hours after 2 years plus of volunteer service in her community and the Nation through her business and Think Twice Radio. Tunes4food was listed as a project under President Obama's Serve.Gov, his call to action for Americans to volunteer in their communities.

Awards to be distributed specifically for tunes4food under Susan Marie Public Relations are: Grace Stumberg, for her committed 25 hours during the entire event, performing and organizing and past involvement with Music in Action, WUFO 1080 AM, a spiritual based AM radio station that commits their time to supporting Western New York and Brooke Noelle Zarcone, who organized a food drive on her own in her high school that collected approximately 500 lbs of food for The Food Bank of Western New York.

To view more information regarding this incentive:

Serve.Gov: http://www.serve.gov/.

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Contact:

Susan Marie Public Relations
716-783-7067
www.susanmarie.info
susanmarie.info@gmail.com
New York USA 2009