WHEREAS, Serve Washington leads our state's long tradition of citizen involvement by providing opportunities for Washingtonians of all ages to improve their communities through AmeriCorps national service and volunteerism; and

WHEREAS, 900,000 AmeriCorps members have served our country since AmeriCorps' inception in 1994, including 35,000 from Washington; and

WHEREAS, This year AmeriCorps will provide the opportunity for 75,000 citizens across the nation, including 2,650 in Washington, to give back to their communities, state, and country; and

WHEREAS, This year AmeriCorps members are serving at more than 1,000 locations throughout Washington State to improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens; and

WHEREAS, Over the past twenty years, AmeriCorps members in Washington have contributed 52 million hours of service to address unmet community needs; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps members are strengthening our educational system by helping students succeed in school and gain the skills necessary to get 21st century jobs; protecting our environment by building trails, restoring parks, and protecting watersheds; helping communities prepare, respond, and recover from natural and man-made disasters; and providing support to military families and veterans as they readjust to civilian life; and

WHEREAS, The AmeriCorps national service experience has a powerful impact on the lives of its members, who gain new and useful skills, advance their education, and become more connected to their communities; and

WHEREAS, A longitudinal study has shown that AmeriCorps alumni are more likely to be civically engaged; to go into public service careers such as teaching, public safety, nonprofit management, and military service; and to volunteer in their communities; and

WHEREAS, In exchange for a year of full-time service, AmeriCorps members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, equal to the maximum Pell Grant, to help pay for college or pay back student loans; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps members from Washington have earned more than $122,380,000 in education awards since 1994; and

WHEREAS, AmeriCorps acts as a powerful catalyst and force multiplier for community volunteering by recruiting, training, and supervising thousands of additional community volunteers for the organizations where they serve; and

WHEREAS, Governor Inslee has proclaimed March 9, 2015, through March 13, 2015, as AmeriCorps Week;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support the observation of AmeriCorps Week, salute AmeriCorps members and alumni for their service, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible.