Larson Receives John Lewis Bridge to Service Award for Support of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors
Washington, D.C. - Last night, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) received Voices for National Service’s John Lewis Bridge to Service Award for his work to expand opportunities for Americans to serve and volunteer in their community through national service programs like AmeriCorps.
“More than 60 years since President Kennedy’s famous call to service, AmeriCorps mobilizes hundreds of thousands of Americans annually to support disaster recovery efforts, school mentoring programs, and more. I am proud to advocate for national service programs like AmeriCorps in Congress,” said Larson. “I was fortunate to serve alongside my late friend and colleague Representative John Lewis in Congress and admired his dedication to public service and tireless fight for equality. It is a true honor to receive Voices for National Service’s John Lewis Bridge to Service Award today. I will continue to support AmeriCorps’ work, honor President Kennedy’s vision, and expand national service opportunities for all Americans who want to serve their nation.”
“Connecticut punches above its weight when it comes to the impact its lawmakers are having on elevating national service as a national priority,” said AnnMaura Connolly, President of Voices for National Service. “As a teacher before coming to Congress, Mr. Larson dedicated his life to public service and understands that when we place citizens at the center of solving local challenges, we can develop tomorrow’s leaders and make our nation more resilient and unified. It’s our immense privilege to honor Representative Larson with the John Lewis Bridge to Service Award.”
The award was presented at the 22nd Annual Friends of National Service Awards in Washington, D.C. A bipartisan group of ten Members of Congress were honored yesterday. Larson was previously awarded the “Outstanding National Service Advocacy Award” from Voices for National Service in 2017.
Rep. Larson introduced the ACTION for National Service Act to increase service opportunities and lower the cost of a college education for young people who answer the call to serve. Since Rep. Lewis’ passing, Larson has continued to advocate for his bipartisan bill to make the AmeriCorps education award tax-free. Last year, he worked with the entire Connecticut delegation to secure $9 million in federal funding for AmeriCorps programs in Connecticut.
A video highlighting Rep. Larson’s work to support AmeriCorps is available HERE.