2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service Opens Registration

“This year marks a juncture in our history. A true turning point for advocacy, policy and service,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light. “During the Conference, we’ll demonstrate how people can harness their power to create enduring change. Regardless of our differences, we share common goals and we strive to accelerate progress by convening the best and brightest to share ideas.”

 

With leadership from honorary co-chairs Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Conference will focus on how citizen-led solutions address unmet needs and propel us forward through innovative thinking and programs that affect societal change. Attendees include representatives from nonprofit organizations, corporations, governments, social entrepreneurs, educators and faith organizations. 

 

To provide attendees with an educational, engaging experience in service innovation, the 2012 conference will have new opportunities for intimate, thought-provoking conversations about national service, social entrepreneurship and hands-on action. Along with all-attendee plenary sessions, highlights include:

 

Three Super Sessions: Aligned with a key issue area, Super Sessions build on the strengths of their renowned speakers and can take the form of a panel, conversation, TEDx-like series of mini-keynotes, film screening or moderated discussion

 

10 Civic Fellow sessions: Intimate dialogues with sector leaders

 

Solution Centers: Experiential discussions in a casual setting with industry experts in the areas of economic stability and financial literacy, K-12 education and service-learning, environmental sustainability and emergency preparedness

 

“Conference activities celebrate the local and national efforts to take responsibility for our communities and our country through service and volunteerism,” said Nunn. “Our goal is to activate 21st century volunteers, helping them use their time, talent, voice and money to build strong communities in vibrant participatory societies.”

 

Featured speakers include U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; Illinois Governor Pat Quinn; General George W. Casey Jr.; Brad Keywell, co-founder and managing partner of Lightbank and co-founder and director of Groupon; Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist.org and craigconnects; Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core; Rev. Otis Moss III from Trinity United Church of Christ; Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author; David Armano, executive vice president of Global Innovation & Integration for Edelman Digital; Wes Moore, Army veteran and author; Carol Cone, global vice chairman of Edelman Business + Social Purpose; Connie Lindsey, executive vice president and head of corporate social responsibility at Northern Trust; and NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo.

 

For more information: http://www.volunteeringandservice.org

 

About: Points of Light is the leading volunteer organization with more than 20 years of history and a bipartisan presidential legacy. The mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world; to connect people to their power to make a meaningful difference by providing access to tools, resources and opportunities to help volunteers use their time, talent, voice and money to meet the critical needs of our communities.

 

Points of Light is organized into three divisions: Programs, Civic Incubator and Action Networks, which includes Hands On Network, the largest network of 250 local volunteer centers across the country and around the world; generationOn, the youth service movement that ignites the power of kids to make their mark on the world; AmeriCorps Alums, the national service alumni network that activates the next generation of service leaders; and Points of Light Corporate Institute, which enables companies to engage their employees and customers in service. For more information: http://pointsoflight.org