Washington, D.C. (MuseWire) – ASCAP’s more than 350,000 members are urged to promote and participate in summer community service to help bolster U.S. renewal and recovery. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have just launched a new national service initiative, United We Serve (www.Serve.gov), that calls on all Americans to find ways to serve in their communities. Citing unprecedented challenges facing America's economy, the program seeks to help bolster renewal and recovery by making it easy for people to find ways to serve in their communities, and to create and promote their own service projects.

ASCAP, representing more than 350,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, represents one of the country's most powerful creative communities. The White House has expressed a high level of interest and hope that music creators will take a leading role in helping to build momentum for this initiative. That is why ASCAP is joining in the effort to help spread word about United We Serve and to encourage all ASCAP members to engage and activate those in their own individual networks, such as fans, collaborators, colleagues and business associates, to participate in creating meaningful change in their own communities.

The program provides both the information and the tools to promote community service in three primary focus areas: Environment and Clean Energy, Education and Healthcare. At Serve.gov, visitors can type in their zip codes to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization's projects or get ideas for creating their own projects.

To help launch the initiative, President Obama is asking those in the music industry to do one or all of the following:
1.Place the United We Serve widget/banner on the band website and/or the link to Serve.gov
2.Send an email to your fan base encouraging them to get involved by going to Serve.gov
3.Include United We Serve on your social media pages
4.Mention United We Serve from the stage
5.Encourage participation in United We Serve by everyone in your organization
6.Provide ticket contests or music tracks to fans who volunteer
7.Pass this message on to all of your friends in the business.

United We Serve is coordinated by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service in partnership with the White House, numerous federal agencies, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, advocacy groups, labor unions, educational institutions, businesses, corporations, foundations, and all levels of government. It will culminate with a National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11 to recognize the summer’s accomplishments, to honor those who died on September 11, 2001, by serving in their memory, and to encourage Americans to make ongoing commitments to service.