In a statement, the Roy Carter campaign followed up on the news of his signing the ServeNext Pledge, emphasizing the candidate’s support for Senior Corps programs.

(North Carolina’s) Fifth District Congressional Nominee Roy Carter is throwing his support behind efforts to expand national service programs for students and older Americans. Each year 75,000 people serve with AmeriCorps to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health care and the environment. National Service programs are among the most successful initiatives of the federal government. Carter has signed a pledge to add another 175,000 annual members to the army of existing volunteers. “In my teaching and coaching career,” says Carter, “when we took on a service project kids really got excited helping others. This type of experience helps them mature while engaging them in the local community.”

Carter, 64, who recently retired after teaching and coaching high school football for forty years, also supports expansion of Senior Corps. “So many seniors are eager to give back, and are looking for ways to help in a constructive way,” says Carter. “Volunteer work keeps folks feeling useful and youthful. My personal involvement leading Habitat for Humanity builds and working with my church to fight poverty are some of the more meaningful experiences of my life. Those experiences shaped my thinking about public service and service to others.”

Senior Corps connects today’s over-55’s with the people and organizations that need them most. We help them become mentors, coaches or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations.