YWCAs to Promote United We Serve Initiative June 22 - Se...( WASHINGTON June 22 /- The YWCA USA ap...),Health

WASHINGTON, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The YWCA USA applauds President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's new national service initiative, United We Serve, that calls on Americans to participate in community service this summer, and to make service a way of life to volunteer and improve their communities.

"Our nearly 300 local YWCAs offer a variety of interesting, meaningful and engaging volunteer opportunities that serve women, girls and families," said Lorraine Cole, Ph.D., YWCA USA's CEO. "Volunteers can support our battered women's shelters, transitional housing programs for homeless women and their children, childcare and tutoring programs, job trainings, health and wellness programs, and racial justice educational events - just to name a few. The programs of the YWCA are life-changing for those we serve, and life-affirming for each volunteer who gives his or her time and wants to make his or her community a better place."

Individuals can go to www.serve.gov to find nearby YWCA community service volunteer opportunities (type YWCA in the search field on the Web site). The YWCA USA Web site - www.ywca.org - provides more information about the YWCA, as well as a tool to find local associations.

United We Serve is coordinated by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service in partnership with the White House, numerous federal agencies, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, advocacy groups, labor unions, educational institutions, businesses, corporations, foundations, and all levels of government. It will culminate with a National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11 to recognize the summer's accomplishments, to honor those who died on September 11, 2001, by serving in their memory, and to encourage Americans to make ongoing commitments to
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