October 17, 1985
The President today announced the fifth annual President's Volunteer Action Awards to honor
outstanding volunteer achievement by individual citizens and organizations. The President will
present the awards at a White House ceremony in April. Award categories include arts and
humanities, education, the environment, health, human services, international volunteering,
mobilization of volunteer, public safety, youth, and the workplace.
In a unique cooperative effort between the private sector and government, VOLUNTEER: The
National Center, a private nonprofit volunteer support organization, and ACTION, the Federal
agency for volunteering, are cosponsoring the program for the fifth year. Funding for the program
is provided by private sector corporate and foundation sponsors. In announcing the program, the
President said: ``Citizens from every walk of life volunteer their time, energy, and resources to
help those less fortunate than themselves. We can never fully measure the positive effects that
each kind word or deed has upon this great and wonderful land of ours.''
VOLUNTEER is the primary national organization supporting greater citizen involvement in
community problem-solving, providing technical assistance to volunteer-involving organizations,
public agencies, unions, and corporations. It works closely with a network of over 225 associated
Volunteer Action Centers and more than 1,000 other local, State, and national organizations.
ACTION serves to stimulate voluntarism and to demonstrate the effectiveness of volunteers in
addressing social problems. Its major programs include the Foster Grandparent, Retired Senior
Volunteer, and Senior Companion programs for the elderly and a variety of programs for youth.
ACTION also promotes private sector initiatives by providing short-term grants to innovative
volunteer projects in such areas as literacy and drug abuse.
Among the corporations and foundations providing support for the 1986 program are Aid
Association for Lutherans, Avon Products, Inc., Keyes Martin and Co., Knights of Columbus
Supreme Council, the Mayflower Hotel, the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co., Rexnord, Inc.,
and Tenneco, Inc. President Reagan presented the fourth annual awards to 15 individuals and
groups, 1 labor union, and 2 corporations at a White House luncheon on April 22, 1985.
Nomination forms can be obtained by writing: The President's Volunteer Action Awards, P.O.
Box 37488, Washington, DC 20013. The deadline for submission for nominations for the 1986
awards is January 25, 1986.