Newsom Encourages Californians to Engage in Volunteer Opportunities

With Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom encouraged all Californians to honor the civil rights leader by taking part in volunteer opportunities. In addition, as part of the California Blueprint, Newsom proposed additional investments in California’s service and volunteer programs.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that everyone has a part to play in creating a kinder united community,” said Newsom. “California is at its best when communities are empowered and every individual can play a role in creating that beloved community.”

The Blueprint includes:

• Expanding foster grandparent and senior companion volunteering programs
• Engaging more older adults in volunteer service that benefits schools, families and communities across the state
• Supporting the goals established by California’s 10-year Master Plan for Aging, and establishing national models that demonstrate the power, value and success of older adult volunteerism
• Building Neighbor-to-Neighbor Networks in California
• Expanding the state’s existing volunteer infrastructure and bolster the statewide Neighbor-to-Neighbor initiative to recruit, train, equip and organize neighbors to address community needs
• Harnessing the community mobilization and connections resulting from the pandemic to build upon the organic service model to respond to crises such as floods, fires, and other rapid-response disasters and community needs.
• Increased ongoing funding for the California Climate Action Corps