For more than two decades, Points of Light honors and encourages organizations throughout the nation to celebrate National Volunteer Week, providing visibility, thematic focus and resources to enable them to commemorate this signature week of volunteer recognition,. National Volunteer Week is April 15-21, 2012.
During National Volunteer Week, we at Points of Light and HandsOn Network encourage people to recognize the outstanding impact of volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
Created by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the President’s Volunteer Service Award program is a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. 
Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
To date, the President’s Council has partnered with more than 80 leadership organizations and more than 28,000 certifying organizations to bestow more than 1.5 million awards to the Nation’s deserving volunteers.
Depending on which award package is ordered, award recipients can receive: An official President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin, a personalized certificate of achievement or a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States.
Any individual, family, or group can receive Presidential recognition for volunteer hours earned over a 12-month period or over the course of a lifetime at home or abroad. The following are the eligibility requirements for each age group: Kids, age 5-14, young adults, individuals age 15-25, and adults age 26 and up.
Criterion for the bronze presidential award include the completion of 50-74 service hours for kids, 100 to 174 hours for Young Adults, 100 to 249 hours for adults, and 200 to 499 hours for families and groups.
Criterion for the silver presidential award include the completion of 75 to 99 hours for Kids, 175 to 249 hours for Young Adults, 250 to 499 hours for adults, and 500 to 999 hours for families and groups.
Criterion for the gold presidential award include the completion of 100 hours or more for kids, 250 hours or more for young adults, 500 hours or more for adults, and 1000 hours or more for families and groups.
Additionally, volunteers of all ages with 4,000 or more service hours over a lifetime can receive the President’s Call to service award.
We hope that during National Volunteer Week and throughout the year, you choose to recognize and honor volunteers with the Presidential service award for their amazing service and impact on their communities.
Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’ve always wanted to volunteer, but I don’t have the time,” or “I just don’t know where to start”?
• Throw a swap party!
Fortunately, there is now a big push to help communities across the country tap the incredible skills so many volunteers have to offer. In 2008 the 
Be flexible and show respect. It would be great if people with needed skills were willing to devote themselves to one charity, or solely to volunteerism, but they probably need to spend the majority of their time working on paid projects or looking for work. Give the volunteers specific tasks and short-term projects that require only a few hours per day or a few months of their time and make sure their important contribution is recognized. The obvious way to do this would be individual praise, but write-ups on the charity’s Web site or Facebook page or in an electronic newsletter to supporters can show appreciation. Let volunteers see how their work helps move the organization forward. Those “rewards” aid in continued motivation and retention.
