$55 in ’05 Campaign for Service-Learning

Posted by on May 7, 2004

[posted from National Service-Learning Partnership]

$55 in ’05 Campaign Launched! Join thousands of service-learning supporters as we mobilize to increase Learn and Serve America funding!

Dear Partnership Members,

Last month’s National Service-Learning Conference in Orlando, Florida marked more than just a superb gathering of thousands of dedicated service-learning supporters.

The conference also marked the launch of the “$55 in ’05” campaign, a full-blown, coordinated, and strategic national advocacy effort to increase Learn and Serve America’s total annual budget to $55 million in fiscal year 2005.

We are now at a critical crossroads. Service-learning has a foothold in American schools today, in large measure, because of the technical assistance and resources provided by Learn and Serve America, part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and the only federal program dedicated to promoting service-learning.

Although the quality and quantity of student service-learning experiences have dramatically increased over the years, federal funding for service-learning has remained constant at $43 million since 1991. Unfortunately, the spending power of $43 million in 1991 is now worth less than $31 million in 2004.

The Partnership and its 7,700 organizational and individual members call upon President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress to support a $12 million funding increase for Learn and Serve America.

To make this happen, we’re all going to need to take action. Your voice is critical to our collective success.

Throughout the spring, summer, and fall, Partnership members and staff, along with our supporting partners, will be rolling out our game-plan in Washington D.C. and in communities across the country, reaching an unprecedented number of federal lawmakers.

Already, advocates have sent more than 800 postcards to Congress
supporting “$55 in ’05.”
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/advocacy_tools/Letters_Postcards.cfm

Already, more than 200 people participated in the first-ever “advocacy track,” a series of back-to-back workshops at the National Service-Learning Conference to help service-learning enthusiasts learn the tools of the trade for advocacy work.
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/advocacy_tools/Advocacy@NSLConference.cfm

So what’s next?

Find out what “$55 in ’05” means for you.
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/advocacy_tools/$55in05.cfm#meanforyou

Learn what you can do NOW to support this campaign.
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/advocacy_tools/$55in05.cfm#calltoaction

Access advocacy tools, tip-sheets, ready-to-use templates, sample letters, and checklists – designed to help you support service-learning at any level, from local to national.
http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/advocacy_tools/FrequentlyUsedTools.cfm

Take action. Continue to add your voice throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Together we will bring service-learning the national support it deserves.

Sincerely,
Anthony Welch
National Service-Learning Partnership Board Chair