NEW YORK, -- Usher's New Look (UNL), a non-profit organization supporting youth to use their talents and become corporate and community leaders, today announced Powered By Service-a bold new initiative to rebrand service and fundamentally change the role of youth in communities. Powered by Service is designed to get young people in the world over-involved in changing the most pressing problems facing them and their communities --whether it be preventing malaria, stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS, ending gang violence or increasing access to clean water. The goal of Powered By Service is to mobilize over 5,000,000 youth in a global call to service that will ultimately touch the lives of 50 million individuals.
At the Clinton Global Initiative, Chairman and Founder of UNL, Usher Raymond IV, pledged $1 million to Powered By Service to support young people as they address the world's most pressing problems through innovative service projects.
"Over the last 10 years through the work with New Look's partners including, HandsOn Network, City Year, Public Allies and ServiceNation, I have seen the POWER of putting service learning skills in the hands of youth," said Usher. "Youth can change problems in a local community or halfway around the world through service. It's a matter of putting the skills and the financial resources directly in their hands and letting them create change on their terms. Powered By Service is not about one organization or one campaign it is about collaborating with diverse partners to build on the foundation of service so many have created. Only by working together can we inspire all young people to be Powered By Service!"
Young people all over the world can participate in Powered By Service. Participants will have access to online toolkits and opportunities to apply for financial resources to support their projects. Grants will be awarded to exceptional service ideas so that youth are not only called to serve, but have the tools they need to create real change. "I am so excited that someone like Usher has committed $1 million to youth service," said Ashley Hurt, Usher's New Look youth leader. "It is important for people to understand that youth have the power to serve with whatever talents we bring to the table."
Usher has personally contributed $1 million to the initiative, but this is bigger than any single person or organization. The Corporation for National and Community Service's Learn and Serve America, the United Nations Foundation, EarthEcho International and numerous other organizations and individuals contributed to the initiative to ensure it reaches youth both in the U.S. and abroad. One of the first projects that Powered By Service will address is theNothing But Nets campaign to end malaria. Millennium Equity I also announced its commitment of $7.4 million to Powered By Service to address the global digital divide and make advanced technology accessible for all service projects. Collectively, the partners have provided more than $8 million in funding for youth service initiatives.
"New Look is not the only organization that sees the potential in our youth. Organizations like the Corporation for National and Community Service and the United Nations Foundation were the first to step up and say, we want to invest, truly invest in our youth!" said Shawn H. Wilson, president, Usher's New Look. "It is especially exciting to be a part of the Clinton Global Initiative with all of our partners to demonstrate how youth can serve locally but have an impact internationally."
Together, UNL, Powered By Service, and young leaders have the power to make significant change on a global scale. For more information about Usher's New Look or Powered By Service, please visit the Web site athttp://www.poweredbyservice.org or http://www.ushersnewlook.org.
About Usher's New Look Foundation
Founded in 1999, Usher's New Look (UNL) empowers youth from under-served communities by providing them with the economic and educational building blocks necessary to become corporate and community leaders. Now in its tenth year, UNL is poised for expansion of programs, and more importantly, impact. Through Powered By Service, UNL hopes to make service more diverse, relevant and accessible to all young people. As a result young people can find their power in their ability to create change in their lives, their communities and the world. For more information about Usher's New Look and Powered By Service, visit www.ushersnewlook.org.
About Learn and Serve America
Learn and Serve America is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency created to connect Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to give back to their communities and their nation. Learn and Serve America provides direct and indirect support to K-12 schools, community groups and higher education institutions to facilitate service-learning projects. Visithttp://www.learnandserve.gov for more information.
About UN Foundation
The United Nations Foundation, a public charity, was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. The UN Foundation is an advocate for the UN and a platform for connecting people, ideas, and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems. The United Nations Foundation created Nothing But Nets, a global, grassroots campaign to prevent malaria in Africa, in 2006. As part of the UN Foundation's partnership with Usher's Camp New Look, young leaders will help send more than 40,000 anti-malaria bed nets to Ethiopia in 2009. Visit www.unfoundation.org or www.NothingButNets.net for more information.
About EarthEcho
EarthEcho International is a nonprofit 501c3 organization founded in 2000 by siblings Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau in honor of their father Philippe Cousteau Sr., famous son of the legendary explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau. EarthEcho International's mission is to foster extraordinary leaders to take action to restore and protect our Oceans. For more information visit, http://www.earthecho.org.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 12 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hungers of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent member of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,400 commitments valued at $46 billion, which have already improved the lives of 200 million people in 150 countries. Commitments made at the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to affect almost 160 million people. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; and MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action. CGI will hold its Fifth Annual Meeting September 22-25, 2009, in New York City. For more information, visitwww.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
