As social workers we often serve as volunteers and have volunteers serve with us. Volunteers are essential to the operation of so many non-profit organizations. President Obama signed a proclamation for National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, 2010. In the proclamation, he states, “During National Volunteer Week, we honor the ordinary people who give of themselves to accomplish extraordinary things, and we encourage more Americans to strengthen our country by volunteering.” To read the full proclamation, visit the White House Web site. To find out where to serve in your community, go to www.serve.gov.

Juneteenth 2025: Honoring the Past, Confronting Today’s Civil Rights Challenges
By Mel Wilson, NASW Senior Policy Advisor Juneteenth, now a federal holiday, recognizes the day in 1865 when the last remaining enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were set free by Union troops—two whole years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves...