Maria EitelThese national service programs, which promote volunteerism, are being dubbed "reeducation camps" by conservatives, namely the wacky Michele Bachmann.
President Barack Obama is picking a Nike vice president to lead the federal agency that oversees the country's national service programs.The size of national service programs are about to triple. Obama will sign legislation today, which will be named after Edward Kennedy, who worked on the bill with Sen. Orrin Hatch, a republican from Utah. Kennedy is expected to attend the signing:
Obama's selection of Maria Eitel comes Tuesday as the president plans to sign a bill to triple the size of AmeriCorps and expand other programs that the corporation administers.
Eitel is nominated to be chief executive officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a job that requires Senate confirmation.
Eitel is also the president of Nike Inc.'s charitable arm, the Nike Foundation. She served under President George H.W. Bush as deputy director of media relations and later as special assistant to the president for media affairs. AP
The AmeriCorps program started by President Bill Clinton will triple in size over the next eight years, and tens of thousands of other Americans will soon see new opportunities to give back to their communities.The Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the volunteer programs, says that applications are up significantly:
It's all part of a $5.7 billion national service bill President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign Tuesday to foster and fulfill people's desire to make a difference, such as by mentoring children, cleaning up parks or building and weatherizing homes for the poor.
Bolstering voluntary public service programs has been a priority of Obama, who credits his work as a community organizer in his early 20s for giving him direction in life. AP
AmeriCorps has seen a recent surge in applications, according to the government-run Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the program.
In March, the corporation received 17,038 online AmeriCorps applications, nearly double those received in the previous month and nearly triple the 6,770 received last March.
The bill also ties volunteer work to money for college.
People 55 and older could earn $1,000 education awards by getting involved in public service. Those awards can be transferred to a child, grandchild or even someone they mentored.
Obama signs the bill (see the full 20 minute video here):
