Presidents Behaving Goodly: George H. W. Bush and the Points of Light Awards
During his presidency, George H. W. Bush created the Daily Point of Light Award in 1989. The award was intended to recognize ordinary Americans from all walks of life who were taking direct and consequential voluntary action in their communities to solve serious social problems. In creating the award, Bush indented that these individuals and organizations receive recognition and honor for their tremendous volunteer work. It was also a call to action to the rest of the nation to join them and multiply their efforts.
At his inauguration in 1989, President Bush talked about “all the individuals and community organizations spread like stars through the nation, doing good.” During his presidency, he began the groundwork for a volunteer movement that every succeeding president has built upon. In the first year of his presidency, Bush founded the Points of Light Foundation (now known as Points of Light). The organization's goal was to promote the spirit of volunteerism. Bush furthered this goal by signing the National and Community Service Act of 1990. As part of the program he created the Daily Point of Light Award. The award seeks to celebrate the power of individuals, alone and working together, to spark change and to improve the world.
By the end of his term, President Bush recognized 1,020 Daily Points of Light. The award winners came from all of the 50 states. The awards addressed issues ranging from care for infants and teenagers with AIDS to adult illiteracy, gang violence, job training for the homeless and many other pressing issues. Another of his accomplishments as president was the Americans with Disabilities Act
Bush was no stranger to voluteerism himself. He enlisted in the armed forces on his 18th birthday and flew 58 combat missions before he was shot down over the Pacific during World War II. He also served his copunty as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. envoy to China, director of the CIA and vice president. All of those were paid positions. But Bush was also active in a number if volunteer activities. He was among a group of students who founded the United Negro College Fund on the Yale campus. He also helped to launch the YMCA in Midland, Texas, and he coached an inner-city baseball team in Houston. When his young daughter Robin died, he and his wife Barbara Bush started the Bright Star Foundation to aid in leukemia research.
After he left office, President and Mrs. Bush raised an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars for cancer research, to supporting the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the helped to found the C-Change organization. He is personally involved in both his George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, and The Bush School of Government and Public Service, both located on the campus of Texas A&M University.
Bush has joined President Bill Clinton on a number of occasions to work together in fundraising activities to help those affected by hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. On February 15, 2011, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama. In July of 2013, Bush joined members of his Secret Service detail in shaving his head to show his support for the 2-year-old son of a detail member being treated for leukemia, who started losing his hair.
In 2007 Points of Light was formed from the merger of the Points of Light Foundation and Hands On Network. The two organizations merged with the goal of strengthening volunteerism in the United States. The Points of Light Foundation had been created in 1990 as a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. to promote the spirit of volunteerism. Bush used the "thousand points of light" theme frequently,[4] including in his 1991 State of the Union address in which he said:
"We have within our reach the promise of a renewed America. We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light. And it is expressed by all who know the irresistible force of a child's hand, of a friend who stands by you and stays there, a volunteer's generous gesture, an idea that is simply right."
On July 15, 2013, President Barack Obama welcomed President Bush to the White House to celebrate the 5,000th Daily Point of Light Award. They bestowed the award on Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton of Union, Iowa, for their work founding Outreach, a nonprofit that delivers free meals to hungry children in 15 countries.
At his inauguration in 1989, President Bush talked about “all the individuals and community organizations spread like stars through the nation, doing good.” During his presidency, he began the groundwork for a volunteer movement that every succeeding president has built upon. In the first year of his presidency, Bush founded the Points of Light Foundation (now known as Points of Light). The organization's goal was to promote the spirit of volunteerism. Bush furthered this goal by signing the National and Community Service Act of 1990. As part of the program he created the Daily Point of Light Award. The award seeks to celebrate the power of individuals, alone and working together, to spark change and to improve the world.
By the end of his term, President Bush recognized 1,020 Daily Points of Light. The award winners came from all of the 50 states. The awards addressed issues ranging from care for infants and teenagers with AIDS to adult illiteracy, gang violence, job training for the homeless and many other pressing issues. Another of his accomplishments as president was the Americans with Disabilities Act
Bush was no stranger to voluteerism himself. He enlisted in the armed forces on his 18th birthday and flew 58 combat missions before he was shot down over the Pacific during World War II. He also served his copunty as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. envoy to China, director of the CIA and vice president. All of those were paid positions. But Bush was also active in a number if volunteer activities. He was among a group of students who founded the United Negro College Fund on the Yale campus. He also helped to launch the YMCA in Midland, Texas, and he coached an inner-city baseball team in Houston. When his young daughter Robin died, he and his wife Barbara Bush started the Bright Star Foundation to aid in leukemia research.
After he left office, President and Mrs. Bush raised an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars for cancer research, to supporting the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the helped to found the C-Change organization. He is personally involved in both his George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, and The Bush School of Government and Public Service, both located on the campus of Texas A&M University.
Bush has joined President Bill Clinton on a number of occasions to work together in fundraising activities to help those affected by hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. On February 15, 2011, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama. In July of 2013, Bush joined members of his Secret Service detail in shaving his head to show his support for the 2-year-old son of a detail member being treated for leukemia, who started losing his hair.
In 2007 Points of Light was formed from the merger of the Points of Light Foundation and Hands On Network. The two organizations merged with the goal of strengthening volunteerism in the United States. The Points of Light Foundation had been created in 1990 as a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. to promote the spirit of volunteerism. Bush used the "thousand points of light" theme frequently,[4] including in his 1991 State of the Union address in which he said:
"We have within our reach the promise of a renewed America. We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light. And it is expressed by all who know the irresistible force of a child's hand, of a friend who stands by you and stays there, a volunteer's generous gesture, an idea that is simply right."
On July 15, 2013, President Barack Obama welcomed President Bush to the White House to celebrate the 5,000th Daily Point of Light Award. They bestowed the award on Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton of Union, Iowa, for their work founding Outreach, a nonprofit that delivers free meals to hungry children in 15 countries.