Community HealthCorps Highlighted in New Book

“The American Way to Change: How National Service and Volunteerism are Changing America” by Shirley Sagawa provides a new perspective on how to solve the nation's most pressing domestic problems by engaging ordinary Americans in innovative ways. The book highlights high-impact service programs that are improving education, the environment, health, and community revitalization, and provides a roadmap for policymakers, organizations, and everyday citizens to take this powerful tool to scale. After decades of incremental progress, the US is at a critical juncture in the history of national service. Across America, national service programs are changing lives, tackling tough problems, creating innovative solutions, and engaging citizens in their communities. With the recently enacted Kennedy Serve America Act, the national service movement is suddenly positioned to achieve significantly greater impact—if we can leverage its true potential and manage this important labor force of volunteers effectively. This book spells out how, learn more at http://waytochange.com/index.html.

The National Association of Community Health Centers and its Community HealthCorps program were highlighted in the book and were named one of the 25 Programs Organized for Impact and Scale. Community HealthCorps' National Jason Patnosh joined the author, Lester Strong, CEO of Experience Corps and Stacy Palmer, Editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy for a lively discussion of our programs, how service/volunteerism play a role in our agencies, and where we see service/volunteerism going in the future. You can watch the entire panel discussion at: http://www.americanprogress.org/events/2010/04/nationalservice.html and the book can be purchased at: Amazon-The American Way to Change (all profits of the book will help to support Voices for National Service, a coalition of groups advocating for national service).

Shirley Sagawa is a visiting fellow with the Center for American Progress, where she is a leading expert on national service policy. She was called “a founding mother” of the modern service movement in Steve Waldman’s book The Bill, and in 2009, received the Lifetime of Service Award from AmeriCorps Alums. She is also the coauthor of the recent award-winning book The Charismatic Organization: Eight Ways to Grow a Nonprofit That Builds Buzz, Delights Donors, and Energizes Employees (Jossey-Bass, 2008) and coauthor of Common Interest, Common Good: Creating Value Through Business and Social Sector Partnerships (Harvard Business School Press, 2000) and you can learn more about her at http://waytochange.com/about_the_author.html.

This event was part of commemorating the One Year anniversary of the Edward M Kennedy Serve America Act, and was joined by Vicki Kennedy, the Senator’s wife.The Boston Globe captured her presence at the event: Boston Globe-Vicki Kennedy. To have Community HealthCorps at the intersection of two of the late Senator’s favorite causes (community health centers and national service) is an honor. It has been a great recognition to be included in this book and to be part of the panel.

Please check us out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/communityhealthcorps) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/CommunityHealthCorps).

Please contact Jason Patnosh (jpatnosh@nachc.com) for more information.