National Museum and Center for Service

08/26/2026

By 2029, our vision is to connect neighbors across all 50 states through a nationwide network of community museums, a robust Community of Learning, and a national anchor space in Washington, D.C. But we cannot achieve this vision alone. Whether you want to invest, collaborate, or host a museum of service in your town, join us in shaping a culture of service.

Read the strategic plan at https://nmcfs.org/news/unveiling-our-2026-2029-strategic-plan-a-nation-united-through-service/

08/21/2026

💡Did you know that helping others is actually one of the best ways to help yourself?

We often talk about the impact volunteering has on society, but what about the impact it has on you? Research shows that dedicating your time to a cause you care about doesn't just make the world a better place—it physically alters your brain chemistry, boosts your health, and can even accelerate your career!

The National Museum and Center for Service just published a fantastic piece breaking down the science behind the "helper's high."

https://nmcfs.substack.com/p/the-scientifically-proven-benefits

08/18/2026

What does service look like in your neighborhood? Through the Community Museum of Service initiative, local leaders, teachers, and volunteers act as Community Curators to co-create public exhibits highlighting everyday heroes. When local generosity is made visible, community trust grows.

Watch our video to see how you can help bring a museum of service to your community.

08/14/2026

Our 2026–2029 Strategic Plan is officially here!

Our mission remains focused on inspiring hope and connection by making service to others visible and valued in all its forms. Over the next three years, we are expanding community-rooted exhibits in everyday spaces like local libraries, schools, and town halls across the country.

Check out our roadmap for the future at

We are thrilled to announce the release of the National Museum and Center for Service (NMCFS) 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. Over the next three years, we are embarking on an ambitious journey to build a national movement, advance our signature space strategy in Washington, D.C., and strengthen our insti...

08/12/2026

Think volunteering is just about giving back to the community? Science says it’s also about giving back to yourself.

A great new article from the National Museum and Center for Service highlights the incredible research proving that volunteering has profound effects on our health, our well-being, and even our careers. Whether you are passionate about the environment, local art, or helping kids, dedicating your time to a cause makes a measurable difference in your own life—from lowering stress to boosting your resume.

Read the full article by Joel Meyers to see exactly why doing good is so good for you!

https://nmcfs.substack.com/p/the-scientifically-proven-benefits

08/04/2026

SEWA Forum 2026 (virtual) is coming up on August 22-23, register now - it's !

Sewa Forum 2026 is a two-day annual forum to celebrate, strengthen, and reimagine the power of sewa (selfless service).

With 20+ experts and 100+ stakeholders coming together across four themes, the forum will serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and action. This year’s summit will explore , , , health and wellbeing for greater social impact.

Presented by Sewa International USA

More info and registration here: https://sewausa.zohobackstage.com/SewaForum2026

08/03/2026

Step 1: Show up.
Step 2: Do what you can with what you have.
Step 3: Be ready to leave.

Alex Schwartz has a philosophy for volunteering that he picked up from a hospice care essay he read on a spring break service trip in college — and it's stuck with him through every service experience since.

Another wonderful vodcast from Nicki Fiocco and the AmeriCorps Connections podcast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQfTffnRcIU

From AmeriCorps NCCC building Habitat for Humanity homes in Montana, to disaster relief after California's Camp Fire, to trail restoration in Iowa, to Boys and Girls Club work in Utah — Alex has served across more communities than most people visit in a lifetime. Each time, he brought those three steps with him.

Now settled in Minnesota and just starting to volunteer at his local youth center, Alex reflects on what it means to build community as a newcomer — and how showing up to serve is the fastest way to feel like you belong somewhere.

His closing thought: Tikkun Olam.
Repair the world. Leave it better than you found it. Ask the community what "better" looks like — then do what you can.

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Independent Sector
GivingTuesday

07/31/2026

Be a voice for the voiceless.

Shawn Durnen will tell you that national service saved his life. And then he built an organization so it could do the same for others.

A veteran and AmeriCorps VETCO alum, Shawn is the founder and CEO of Nine Line Veteran Services — built from the ground up over 15 years. His service year in Washington State sparked everything: grant writing, community coordination, housing support, and one-on-one conversations with veterans navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Now Shawn chairs the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care under HUD's homeless initiatives, volunteers at community events with his family, and advocates loudly for veterans to use the benefits they've earned. His challenge to fellow vets: if you don't use them, they disappear — and your hesitation is the same hesitation your fellow service member has. Use them. For your family. For the next one.

His service philosophy is simple and loud: be a voice for the voiceless.

Civic engagement IS community service. And it takes people who've been on the ground to make legislators understand what policy actually looks like in real life.

"Selfless, targeted service through kindness and community — that's a labor of love." ~Shawn Durnen

We hope you enjoy this installment of AmeriCorps Connections podcast by Nicki Fiocco. It certainly inspires us here at NMCFS!

👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=es4SO38FyJs

AmeriCorps
Independent Sector

07/30/2026

This looks great. Dec 4-6. Sessions about study of individuals, communities, systems, and their interactions across time and place that prepares students for local, national, and global civic life.

So important!

⏰ LAST CHANCE to save on registration!
Early Bird rates end tomorrow, July 30: https://hubs.li/Q04nMZ420

07/28/2026

"I inspire people to go into schools, to read to students, to share their stories of service, because when they connect with them and build those relationships, the children start to see this opportunity of what's possible for them."

JoAnna Arnold PhD is a Literacy Specialist with Georgia's Chattahoochee-Flint Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA), with decades of experience being an educator, and clearly recognizes that teaching is a service to youth.

She believes one of the simplest paths into service (which she strongly supports being part of the education system) is through storytelling. And she has helped create local Museums of Service in SW Georgia school districts to showcase local service.

💯 These pop up museums are a project-based learning tool and exercise where students are reading and researching across curriculum. They are looking at these projects at a local, state-wide, and even international contexts!

💪 JoAnna also gives a great piece of advice - the "step of yes". In the moment of hesitation, when you have been offered an opportunity that aligns with your talents, simply say yes - the step of yes!

🤔 When have you said "YES" to an opportunity to help that changed your life? Or when have you seen others do this?

We want to hear about it! Share it here: www.250andbeyond.com/ouramericanstory

Independent Sector
GivingTuesday