January marked the start of the United States of America’s 250th anniversary and an effort to increase volunteer service along with it.
Over 50,000 volunteer opportunities nationwide are coordinated by America 250, a bipartisan nonprofit organization commissioned by Congress to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial. This new initiative is in partnership with almost 40 national corporations and counting. These will all fall under what the group is calling “America Gives.”
As of Thursday afternoon, over 350,000 volunteer hours have been reported.
Rosie Rios has chaired the America 250 commission for over three years after previously serving on the commission for eight years, just two years after it was formed in anticipation of the anniversary.
Rios, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, told the Washington Examiner that she wants participants to walk away from America 250 events believing “the American dream is alive and well.”
“My mom ended up raising all nine of [her and her siblings] as a single parent and sending all nine of us to college. So I feel like I am living the American dream,” Rios said. “I want as many Americans as possible to feel like this is a land of opportunity again.”
When it comes to America Gives, Rios hopes it will be “an inspiring, renewed culture of service for years to come.”
“Our country was founded on service,” Rios said. “We really think that this is a great way to galvanize our country.”
On its website, America 250 says it will continue to add up volunteer hours from individuals and corporations in hopes of a “record-setting year.” This, according to Rios, would be the first of its kind since they are collecting hours from every American citizen. Rios hopes to reach billions of hours by the end of the year.
Volunteer opportunities are listed on their website, including faith-based, disaster relief, conservation, civic engagement, and military options. America Gives boasts the sponsorship of Walmart, Coca-Cola, Scotts Miracle-Gro, and Citi.
Additionally, they are partnering with the American Red Cross, Tunnels to Towers Foundation, the Salvation Army, and the Wounded Warriors Foundation, among others.
Priority hot spots for America 250 celebrations include locations central to the nation’s founding, including Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Charleston, South Carolina. However, Rios emphasized that both volunteer and celebratory events are taking place in every U.S. state and territory.
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“This is one of our early commitments when I became chair three and a half years ago that we were going to make sure this is a seat of shining sea approach,” Rios said. “We want [all states and territories] to understand, again, that this ‘nation of nations’ concept is alive and well, and that those histories, of those respective states, are all part of the storytelling effort.”
Rios expects this service effort to continue long past the end of 2026.