New York Creates Cabinet Position for National and Community Service

New York Gov. David A. Paterson announced that he has created a cabinet position for national and community service.

He said he had elevated Susan Stern, chair of the State Commission on National and Community Service, to the position — and asked her to produce a report within 90 days on ways to make New York “a national leader for service and volunteerism.”

“We all know that true civic engagement will require more than short-term plans,” he said in a statement. “We must inspire lifelong commitments from our citizens.”

Governor Paterson made the announcement to coincide with the ServiceNation Summit, a two-day conference on public service held in New York at the end of last week. He said the state had also posted a new Web site to help match people with volunteer opportunities.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger created a similar cabinet position last February, the Secretary of Service and Volunteering. Speaking to the ServiceNation Summit by video, he congratulated Mr. Paterson for following in his footsteps.