Happy Tuesday! Top Obama administration officials get in on the volunteer action today when they drop off food collected by federal employees as part of “Feds Feed Families.” The food drive was launched by the Office of Personnel Management in June as part of the White House’s summer-long “United We Serve” initiative. The Eye has seen food collection receptacles placed in the lobbies of federal buildings where employees can leave donations for the needy.
OPM Director John Berry, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) will deliver the goods this morning the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington.
• Volunteerism Climbs, According to Government: The cabinet’s volunteer initiative comes as a new government report reveals that more Americans volunteered last year despite the worsening economy. Almost a million more people donated their time to civic causes in 2008 than in 2007 even though volunteer rates typically drop during economic downturns, according to a survey by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the agency that runs AmeriCorps and other programs. In all, 61.8 million people volunteered last year. (And many expected to be available to help with hurricane relief efforts.)
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