President George H. Bush, Points of Light Institute ‘"Points of Light are the soul of America. They are ordinary people who reach beyond themselves to the lives of those in need, bringing hope and opportunity, friendship and care." —Former President George H. Bush President George H. Bush had a vision: to acknowledge and encourage unrecoginized volunteers across America. In 1990, he named his dream “Points of Light,” recognizing the brilliance of the millions of “heavenly stars” in our country. The phenomenon of brilliant candles was recognized and researched by the Points of Light Foundation, and they now help coordinate and acknowledge the more than 100 million volunteers in this country giving their time, talent and energy to help others, solve social problems and build strong communities. Sharing the common goal of working to make a difference, these volunteers represent all backgrounds and beliefs and range in age from 5 to 95—an unpaid army of millions…individuals, small groups, families, children, seniors and corporations. Partnering and coordinating with various volunteer organizations, the Foundation has volunteer centers in over 350communities and has gained a national reputation as America's Address for Volunteering. As President George W. Bush commented, "The Points of Light Foundation embodies America's spirit of volunteerism and the goodwill of its citizens. Our nation will counter evil with good, defeat terrorism by routing out its perpetrators and comforting its victims, and continue to answer the calls of people in need." |
