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77-640: The organization was founded 1992 under the name City Cares . They sought an alternate way of doing volunteering, in contrast to established organizations such as the Points of Light Foundation and its associated Voluntary Action Centers . In particular, they sought to focus on attracting younger, more business-focused volunteers by offering a single day of service on a per-month basis. The national entity would then be an umbrella organization and which would provide shared resources to local entities. Example local affiliates included New York Cares , which in point of fact

154-579: A Fast Company Social Capitalist Award in 2008. In the United Kingdom a daily Points of Light programme recognising outstanding individual volunteers was developed in partnership with the US programme and launched by Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street in April 2014. Since then, the awards have continued under Prime Ministers Theresa May , Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak with 2,139 individuals across

231-618: A "State of the Corporation" or "State of the Company" address given by the respective CEO. As well, the commissioners of some North American professional sports leagues, in particular Major League Soccer and the Canadian Football League , deliver annual "State of the League" addresses, usually in conjunction with events surrounding their respective leagues' championship games. The State of

308-568: A Presidential Forum on Service hosted by former President George H.W. Bush and Points of Light at the George Bush Presidential Library Center on the campus of Texas A&M University . The event celebrated the contributions of more than 4,500 Daily Point of Light award winners and honored President Bush's legacy of service and civic engagement. At the Presidential Forum, President Obama said, Government can build

385-973: A State of the District address. American Samoa has a State of the Territory address given by the governor. Puerto Rico has a State Address given by the governor. In Guam , the governor delivers an annual State of the Island Address . Some cities or counties also have an annual State of the City Address given by the mayor, county commissioner or board chair, including Sonoma County, California ; Orlando, Florida ; Gwinnett County, Georgia ; Cincinnati , Ohio; New Haven, Connecticut ; Parma, Ohio ; Detroit, Michigan; Seattle , Washington; Birmingham, Alabama ; Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Buffalo, New York ; Rochester, New York ; San Antonio , Texas; McAllen, Texas ; and San Diego , California. The Mayor of

462-482: A break in the tradition of seating Republicans and Democrats on opposite sides of the House; this was in response to the 2011 Tucson Shooting in which Representative Gabby Giffords was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt. Approximately 60 legislators signed on to Udall's proposal; a similar plan for the 2012 address garnered bipartisan seating commitments from more than 160 lawmakers. Efforts to intersperse

539-537: A communication between president and Congress has become in effect a communication between the president and the people of the United States. Since the advent of radio, and then television, the speech has been broadcast live in all United States time zones on most networks, preempting scheduled programming. Since at least the 1960s, in order to reach the largest audience, the speech has typically been given at 9 p.m. ( Eastern Time , UTC-5 ). George Washington delivered

616-762: A corps of hundreds of thousands of volunteers who join forces to address community needs worldwide. HandsOn Network collaborated with hundreds of major companies and organizations to promote volunteerism across the United States. They include the CMT television station and SAP investments, as well as several with nonprofit organizations and volunteer groups. Additional corporate sponsors of HandsOn Network included Home Depot , Outback Steakhouse , Cisco Systems , Ameriquest , The Coca-Cola Company , Corporation for National and Community Service , W.K. Kellog Foundation , UnitedHealth Group , Case Foundation , Singing for Change , and others. In August 2007, HandsOn Network merged with

693-691: A duty of the president under the State of the Union Clause of the U.S. Constitution : He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. Though the language of the clause is not specific, since the 1930s, the president has made this report annually in late January or early February. Between 1934 and 2024

770-547: A further round of applause and, eventually, the beginning of the address by the President. The Speaker may opt not to introduce the President, as was demonstrated in 2019 and 2024 . Customarily, one cabinet member (the designated survivor ) does not attend the speech, in order to provide continuity in the line of succession if a catastrophe disables the President, the Vice-President, and other succeeding officers gathered in

847-414: A new president is inaugurated, the outgoing president may deliver a final State of the Union message, but none has done so since Jimmy Carter sent a written message in 1981. In 1953 and 1961, Congress received both a written State of the Union message from the outgoing president and a separate State of the Union speech by the incoming president. Since 1981, in recognition that the responsibility of reporting

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924-570: A number of notable programs including The Extra Mile – Points of Light Volunteer Pathway honors famous volunteers with a series of bronze medallions that form a one-mile walking path, just blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C. There are 33 people recognized, including Booker T. Washington , Jane Addams , John Muir , Clara Barton and Martin Luther King Jr. National Volunteer Week

1001-477: A place at the Clerk 's desk, the president hands two envelopes containing copies of the speech to the speaker and vice president. After continuing applause from the attendees has diminished, the speaker introduces the president to the representatives and senators, typically stating: "Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States." This leads to

1078-560: 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. In 1991 the National Volunteer Center , which had begun in 1970 as the National Center for Voluntary Action , was merged into it. The merged organization also became known during

1155-457: A thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good." President Bush used the " thousand points of light " theme frequently, 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,

1232-519: A variety of projects that connect community needs with their time and interests. They cultivate and train volunteers to in turn lead other volunteers. In 2018, Points of Light worked with Starbucks on a new program. 36 Starbucks employees were selected as Starbucks Service Fellows. For six months, the Fellows worked at least 20 hours per week at Starbucks, and up to 20 hours for a local organization. The program supported employees who wanted to give back to

1309-462: Is an annual event designed to thank volunteers for their service and encourage others across the United States to volunteer. The HandsOn Network works in partnership with local organizations and schools to create "hands on" service projects that produce tangible benefits in communities. The network enlists a corps of hundreds of thousands of volunteers who join forces to address community needs worldwide. The HandsOn Network enables them to choose from

1386-459: Is best in our heritage but what all of us are called to become. 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. Daily Point of Light honorees include: The organization manages

1463-523: Is generally held in January or February, and an invitation to the president is extended to use the chamber of the House by the speaker of the House . Starting in 1981, Ronald Reagan , the 40th U.S. president, began the practice of newly inaugurated presidents delivering an address to Congress in the first year of their term but not designating that speech an official "State of the Union". The practice arises from

1540-446: Is the nation's largest day of service, created by USA Weekend magazine and held in partnership with Points of Light on the fourth Saturday of each October. An estimated 3 million volunteers spent the 22nd Make A Difference Day in 2012 helping their communities in projects ranging from bowl-a-thon fundraisers to beach cleanups. Each year, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day , Points of Light honors King's memory with service projects across

1617-504: The Los Angeles Times published a scathing account of the new foundation, saying "the lone remnant of the Bush initiative has the look of a wasteful, Washington-dependent operation." The article noted the foundation had received $ 26.6 million in federal funds and had spent $ 22.3 million "on glitzy promotions, consultants, salaries, travel and conferences." The article said "only 11 percent of

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1694-534: The Corporation for National and Community Service to manage some of that agency's programs, and administered the President's Volunteer Service Award program, which was created by President George W. Bush in 2003. The group also sponsored conferences, offered training and other assistance to its network of volunteer centers, and recognized volunteers through a Daily Point of Light award. The Points of Light Foundation

1771-666: The Democratic Party 's response was delivered in Spanish for the first time, by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson . In 2011, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann also gave a televised response for the Tea Party Express , a first for a political movement. In 2024, the Republican Response was delivered by Senator Katie Britt on March 8 (Women's International Day) from her kitchen table. The first Independent response

1848-742: The Diplomatic Corps , and military leaders (the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commandant of the Coast Guard ) have reserved seating. By approximately 8:30 p.m. on the night of the address, the members of the House have gathered in their seats for the joint session. Then, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms addresses the Speaker and loudly announces the Vice-President and members of the Senate, who enter and take

1925-612: The International Year of Volunteers 2001 USA Steering Committee. Members of the committee included the National Council of Volunteer Centers, National Council on Workplace Volunteering, Association for Volunteer Administration , National Parents and Teachers Association and Make A Difference Day . The USA's IYV web site, www.iyv2001us.org , was launched in September 2000. Points of Light Foundation & HandsOn Network received

2002-599: The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that morning. Reagan instead addressed the nation from the Oval Office about the disaster. In 1999 , Bill Clinton became the first president to deliver an in-person State of the Union address while standing trial for impeachment ; the speech occurred the same day that Clinton's defense team made its opening statement in Clinton's impeachment trial , though he did not mention

2079-679: The legislature , the president and Cabinet constituting the executive , and the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court constituting the judiciary . In addition, the military is represented by the Joint Chiefs of Staff , while foreign governments are represented by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps . The address has also been used as an opportunity to honor the achievements of some ordinary Americans, who are typically invited by

2156-472: The 2000s as the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network. The Foundation and its expanded network acted as community hubs to connect volunteers to opportunities, work with local nonprofits and businesses to establish and improve volunteer programs, and, overall, bolster the local infrastructure for the volunteering community. The Points of Light Foundation received an annual allocation from

2233-545: The 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond. State of the Union address The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU ) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The State of

2310-524: The House to the president typically several weeks before the appointed date. Every member of Congress can bring one guest to the State of the Union address. The president may invite up to 24 guests to be seated in a box with the First Lady . The Speaker of the House may invite up to 24 guests in the Speaker's box. Seating for Congress on the main floor is by a first-in, first-served basis with no reservations. The Cabinet , Supreme Court justices , members of

2387-456: The House chamber. Additionally, since the September 11 attacks in 2001, a few members of Congress have been asked to relocate to undisclosed locations for the duration of the speech to form a rump Congress in the event of a disaster. Since 2003, each chamber of Congress has formally named a separate designated survivor. Both the speaker and the vice president sit at the speaker's desk, behind

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2464-653: The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in Nashville, Tennessee gives a speech similar called the State of Metro Address. Some university presidents give a State of the University address at the beginning of every academic term . Some elementary and secondary schools and school districts also hold a "State of the School(s)" address at the beginning of each calendar year. Private companies usually have

2541-402: The Points of Light Foundation to form the Points of Light Institute , the nation's largest network of organizations skilled at mobilizing volunteers to meet important needs in local communities. and its website redirected to www.pointsoflight.org/handsonnetwork during much of 2019. Its original website, handsonnetwork.org, no longer works and the Points of Light Foundation page about the network

2618-497: The President for the duration of the speech. If either is unavailable, the next highest-ranking member of the respective house substitutes. Once the chamber settles down from the President's arrival, the speaker officially presents the President to the joint session of Congress. The president then delivers the speech from the podium at the front of the House Chamber. For the 2011 address , Senator Mark Udall of Colorado proposed

2695-450: The State of the Union formally belongs to the president who held office during the past year, newly inaugurated presidents have not officially called their first speech before Congress a "State of the Union" message. Warren Harding 's 1922 speech was the first to be broadcast on radio, albeit to a limited audience, while Calvin Coolidge 's 1923 speech was the first to be broadcast across

2772-583: The State of the Union is given typically each January before a joint session of the United States Congress and is held in the House of Representatives chamber of the United States Capitol . Newly inaugurated presidents generally deliver an address to Congress in February of the first year of their term, but this speech is not officially considered to be a "State of the Union". What began as

2849-697: The UK recognised. British Points of Light honorees include: A Commonwealth Points of Light award series was launched in February 2018 as a continuation of the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light programme to coincide with the UK hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, April 2018. These awards are made by Queen Elizabeth II , as Head of the Commonwealth, to thank inspirational volunteers across

2926-648: The Union Address generally includes reports on the nation's budget , economy, news, agenda, progress, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals. The address fulfills the requirement in Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution for the president to periodically "give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union , and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." During most of

3003-536: The Union model has also been adopted by the European Union . In France, president Emmanuel Macron initiated a similar event in 2017, again in 2018, but the practice did not continue the following years. In Spain , the Congress of Deputies adopted the tradition under the name "Debate on the State of the Nation" in 1983. The Prime Minister gives an address for an undetermined length of time, and afterwards each of

3080-501: The United States, calling it their MLK Day of service. In 2013, Vice President Joe Biden and his family joined 10,000 volunteers at Points of Light's service project at the D.C. Armory to put together 100,000 thank-you "care kits" for U.S. military personnel, disabled veterans, and civilian first responders. In the US, the Points of Light Foundation and the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) partnered to convene and lead

3157-508: The awards. President Bush devoted attention to voluntary service as a means of solving some of America's most serious social problems. In The Points of Light Movement: The President's Report to the Nation , President Bush wrote, Points of Light are the soul of America. They are ordinary people who reach beyond themselves to touch the lives of those in need, bringing hope and opportunity, care and friendship. By giving so generously of themselves, these remarkable individuals show us not only what

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3234-467: The best schools, with the best teachers – but we can't run the PTA, or chaperone those field trips, or mentor those kids after school, or have them sit down and do their homework at night. We can pass the most comprehensive health reform bill – but Congress can't be on the ground in our communities caring for the sick and helping people lead healthier lives. Government can give our troops the equipment they need, and

3311-463: The calendar year, in December. The ratification of the 20th Amendment on January 23, 1933, changed the opening of Congress from early March to early January, affecting the delivery of the annual message. Since 1934, the message or address has been delivered to Congress early in the calendar year. The Twentieth Amendment also established January 20 as the beginning of the presidential term. In years when

3388-473: The challenges of our time. Since 1992, leaders from the nonprofit, for-profit, government, Hollywood and military sectors have gathered for Points of Light's annual Conference on Volunteering and Service. In 2012, approximately 5,000 people attended a plenary session featuring former First Lady Barbara Bush , Second Lady Jill Biden , Points of Light CEO Michelle Nunn and actor Kevin Bacon . Make A Difference Day

3465-469: The country's first century, the president primarily submitted only a written report to Congress. After 1913, Woodrow Wilson , the 28th U.S. president, began the regular practice of delivering the address to Congress in person as a way to rally support for the president's agenda, while also submitting a more detailed report. With the advent of radio and television, the address is now broadcast live in all United States time zones on many networks. The speech

3542-431: The crash of Air Florida Flight 90 . Since then, the term " Lenny Skutniks " has been used to refer to individuals invited to sit in the gallery, and then cited by the president, during the State of the Union. State of the Union speeches usually last a little over an hour, partly because of the large amounts of applause that occur from the audience throughout. The applause is often political in tone, with many portions of

3619-466: The date has been as early as January 3, and as late as March 7. While not required to deliver a speech, every president since Woodrow Wilson , with the notable exception of Herbert Hoover , has made at least one State of the Union report as a speech delivered before a joint session of Congress. Before then, most presidents delivered the State of the Union as a written report. Since Franklin Roosevelt,

3696-457: The entrance, loudly stating the phrase: "Mister/Madam Speaker, the president of the United States!" As applause and cheering begin, the President slowly walks toward the Speaker's rostrum , followed by members of the Congressional escort committee. The President's approach is slowed by pausing to shake hands, hug, kiss, and autograph copies of the speech for Members of Congress. After taking

3773-479: The exception of George H. W. Bush . Gerald Ford 's 1975 address had been the first to use the phrasing "The State of the Union is...", though Ford completed the sentence with "not good." Since Reagan's 1982 address, it has also become common for presidents of both parties to honor special guests sitting in the gallery, such as American citizens or visiting heads of state . During that 1982 address, Reagan acknowledged Lenny Skutnik for his act of heroism following

3850-418: The first executive director of Hands On Atlanta in 1989. The nonprofit offered a volunteer model with flexible opportunities for people to be involved in their communities through "hands on" projects like working in a soup kitchen, food bank or building a house. When the group held its first Hands On Atlanta Day in 1992, around 2,000 people volunteered. In 2003, Nunn moved from Hands On Atlanta to become CEO of

3927-591: The first regular annual message before a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1790, in New York City , then the provisional U.S. capital. In 1801, Thomas Jefferson discontinued the practice of delivering the address in person, regarding it as too monarchical (similar to the Speech from the Throne ). Instead, the address was written and then sent to Congress to be read by a clerk until 1913 when Woodrow Wilson re-established

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4004-717: The foundation's budget had been spent to provide grants to volunteer efforts. The foundation has fallen well short of private fund-raising goals and attracted scant scrutiny from Congress." In the article, volunteerism expert Susan J. Ellis said, "There's been tons of money wasted, just wasted... and I don't think they can show a lot of people have volunteered." President Bush created the "Daily Point of Light Award" in 1989 to recognize ordinary Americans from all walks of life taking direct and consequential voluntary action in their communities to solve serious social problems. The President focused great attention on these individuals and organizations, both to honor them for their work and to call

4081-507: The highest possible rating (4-stars) on Charity Navigator in 2012, 2011, and 2010. In 2013, Nunn took a leave of absence from the CEO position to pursue an unsuccessful run for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat in 2014 . In 2015, Tracy Hoover was named as CEO of Points of Light, with Nunn taking a place on the board of directors. Hoover announced in January 2017 she would step down, and Natalye Paquin replaced her in September 2017. On January 10, 1995,

4158-541: The limits of government. While there's plenty that government can do and must do to keep our families safe, and our planet clean, and our markets free and fair, there's a lot that government can't – and shouldn't – do. And that's where active, engaged citizens come in. That's the purpose of service in this nation. And that's the point I want to emphasize today: that service isn't separate from our national priorities, or secondary to our national priorities – it's integral to achieving our national priorities. It's how we will meet

4235-540: The local community. Points of Light paid the Fellows using a grant from the Starbucks Foundation, which also provided money for the local nonprofits' programs. Points of Light paid tribute to President George H. W. Bush and volunteer service on March 21, 2011, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Presidents Jimmy Carter , Bill Clinton , and George W. Bush joined President George H.W. Bush to highlight

4312-459: The nation to join them and multiply their efforts. By the end of his administration, President Bush had recognized 1,020 Daily Points of Light representing all fifty states and addressing issues ranging from care for infants and teenagers with AIDS to adult illiteracy and from gang violence to job training for homeless people. The Daily Point of Light continues to be awarded by Points of Light; up until his death, President Bush continued to sign all of

4389-420: The nation. President Roosevelt's address in 1936 was the first delivered in the evening, but this precedent was not followed again until the 1960s. Harry S. Truman 's 1947 address was the first to be broadcast on television. In 1968, television networks in the United States for the first time imposed no time limit for their coverage of a State of the Union address. Delivered by Lyndon B. Johnson , this address

4466-768: The national Atlanta -based HandsOn Network to expand the volunteer model to cities around the world. In 2007, the Points of Light Foundation began talks with the HandsOn Network to join forces through a merger to make one national organization with local affiliates focused on volunteering and service. They combined forces on August 11, 2007, to become the Points of Light Institute. By late 2011, it changed its name to Points of Light. Points of Light has approximately 250 affiliates in 22 countries and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and companies. In 2012, Points of Light mobilized 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service worth $ 635 million. Points of Light received

4543-578: The parties during the State of the Union have since waned, and by the 2016 address , seating had largely returned to the traditional partisan arrangement. The contents of the speeches typically contain information and status updates of the country and federal government during the incumbent president's administration. It has become customary to use the phrase "The State of the Union is strong," sometimes with slight variations, since President Ronald Reagan introduced it in his 1983 address. It has been repeated by every president in nearly every year since, with

4620-403: The pay and benefits that they have earned, and nobody is working harder at doing that than Secretary Gates – but it can't be there to offer a home-cooked meal to a military family stretched thin, or to make sure our veterans get the respect and appreciation they deserve in their communities when they come home. In the end, when it comes to the challenges we face, the need for action always exceeds

4697-403: The practice despite some initial controversy, and an in-person address to Congress has been delivered nearly every year since. However, there have been exceptions to this rule, with some messages being given solely in writing, and others given both in writing and orally (either in a speech to Congress or through broadcast media). The last president to give a written message without a spoken address

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4774-673: The president to sit with the First Lady . Certain U.S. states have a similar annual address given by the governor . For most of them, it is called the State of the State address . In Iowa, it is called the Condition of the State Address; in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the speech is called the State of the Commonwealth address. The mayor of the District of Columbia gives

4851-463: The proceeding. On January 23, 2019, the 2019 State of the Union speech by Donald Trump , originally planned for January 29 was canceled after an exchange of letters with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in which she stated she would not proceed with a vote on a resolution to permit him to deliver the speech in the House chamber until the end of 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown . This decision rescinded an earlier invitation from

4928-461: The remarks of the president with which they agree. Since 1966, the speech has been followed on television by a response or rebuttal by a member of the major political party opposing the president's party. The response is typically broadcast from a studio with no audience. In 1970, the Democratic Party put together a TV program with their speech to reply to President Nixon , as well as a televised response to Nixon's written speech in 1973. The same

5005-506: The role volunteer service plays in people's lives. It marked the first time all four former presidents had come together since President Barack Obama 's inauguration in January 2009. President Obama was on a trip to South America and taped a video message for the event. The Tribute to the elder Bush — called "All Together Now: A Celebration of Service" — featured singers Carrie Underwood , Darius Rucker , and Garth Brooks , and broadcaster Jim Nantz . On October 16, 2009, President Obama held

5082-473: The seats assigned for them. The Speaker, and then the Vice-President, specify the members of the House and Senate, respectively, who will escort the President into the House chamber. The Deputy Sergeant at Arms addresses the speaker again and loudly announces, in order, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps , the Chief Justice of the United States and the Associate Justices , and the Cabinet, each of whom enters and takes their seats when called. The justices take

5159-423: The seats nearest to the Speaker's rostrum and adjacent to the sections reserved for the Cabinet and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Just after 9:00 pm, as the President reaches the door to the chamber, the House Sergeant at Arms stands just inside the doors, faces the speaker, and waits until the president is ready to enter the chamber. When the president is ready, the Sergeant at Arms announces

5236-410: The speaker, reportedly the first time in American history that a Speaker had "disinvited" the president from delivering the address. Trump and Pelosi later agreed to hold the speech on February 5. Because the address is made to a joint session of Congress, the House and Senate must each pass a resolution setting a date and time for the joint session. Then, a formal invitation is made by the speaker of

5313-493: The speech being applauded only by members of the president's own party. As non-political officeholders, members of the Supreme Court or the Joint Chiefs of Staff rarely applaud in order to retain the appearance of political impartiality. In recent years, the presiding officers of the House and the Senate, the speaker and the vice president, respectively, have departed from the neutrality expected of presiding officers of deliberative bodies, as they, too, stand and applaud in response to

5390-406: Was Jimmy Carter in 1981, days before his term ended after his defeat by Ronald Reagan . For many years, the speech was referred to as "the President's Annual Message to Congress". The actual term "State of the Union" first emerged in 1934 when Franklin D. Roosevelt used the phrase, becoming its generally accepted name since 1947. Prior to 1934, the annual message was delivered at the end of

5467-412: Was delivered by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Although much of the pomp and ceremony behind the State of the Union address is governed by tradition rather than law, in modern times, the event is seen as one of the most important in the US political calendar. It is one of the few instances when all three branches of the US government are assembled under one roof: members of both houses of Congress constituting

5544-647: Was done by Democrats for President Reagan's speeches in 1982 and 1985. The response is not always produced in a studio; in 1997, the Republicans for the first time delivered the response in front of high school students. In 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell gave the Republican response from the House of Delegates chamber of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond , in front of about 250 attendees. In 2004,

5621-513: Was followed by extensive televised commentary by, among others, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Milton Friedman . Bill Clinton 's 1997 address was the first broadcast available live on the World Wide Web . Ronald Reagan 's 1986 State of the Union Address was the first to have been postponed. He had planned to deliver the speech on January 28, 1986, but it was delayed for a week following

5698-499: Was formed in 2007 by the merger of the Points of Light Foundation and Hands On Network . Encouraged by major donors and affiliates, the two organizations merged with the goal of strengthening volunteerism, streamlining costs and services and deepening impact. The Points of Light Foundation was created in 1990 as a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. to promote the spirit of volunteerism described by U.S. President George H. W. Bush in his 1989 inaugural address, "I have spoken of

5775-499: Was in fact not a grant-making foundation. It engaged in a variety of tasks, including managing its network of volunteer centers, engaging volunteers in disaster recovery, supporting corporate volunteer councils and more. At the same time as the Points of Light Foundation's founding, a group of young professionals in Atlanta started a group to connect volunteers with nonprofit organizations. Michelle Nunn joined this group of co-founders as

5852-464: Was launched in 1987 and provided the basis for the later national model. In 2004, City Cares renamed itself to the HandsOn Network. Over time, HandsOn Network became made up of 58 national and international volunteer organizations that act as entrepreneurial civic action centers. HandsOn Network worked in partnership with local organizations and schools to create HandsOn service projects that produce tangible benefits in communities. The Network enlisted

5929-933: Was taken down by the Fall of 2019. The individual volunteer centers under the HandsOn Network, such as HandsOn Atlanta , HandsOn Suburban Chicago , HandsOn Twin Cities (Minnesota), HandsOn San Francisco and HandsOn PDX (for the Portland, Oregon Metro area) remain. Points of Light Foundation Points of Light is an international nonprofit , nonpartisan organization headquartered in Georgia , United States dedicated to engaging more people and resources in solving serious social problems through voluntary service. Each year, Points of Light mobilizes millions of people through affiliates in approximately 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and companies. Points of Light

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