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National Service Honor Award Sponsored by CAC/CYAC

 

The National Service Honor Award (NSHA) recognizes volunteers of all ages who make a meaningful impact in their communities. Awards are based on verified service hours in a 12-month period, ensuring every recipient’s effort is validated and celebrated. The National Service Honor is modeled after the retired Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) and serves to fill the gap left behind. All the rules and requirements are exactly the same as PVSA. Chinese Association of Columbia (CAC)/ Chinese Youth association of Columbia (CYAC) are also recognized as Certifying Organization as established for PVSA. This NSHA program allows Certifying Organizations such as CAC/CYAC to recognize their most exceptional volunteers.

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Sponsor：

  • CAC/CYAC is a non-profit and non-partisan organization serving Columbia Chinese American Community. CAC/CYAC has been a PVSA/NSHA Certifying Organization since 2024.

Eligibility：

  • United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e., green card holder)

  • Must be at least five years old.

Important Dates：

  • Volunteer Service Hours Period: 7/1 of previous year – 6/30 of current year (12 months)

  • Application Period (current year): 7/1 – 7/15.

  • Award Date: CYAC Annual Meeting.

How to Apply：

  • Join the CYAC and participate in CAC/CYAC’s community service project. CYAC will apply NSHA for its members.

  • Email the completed application form and volunteer hour certificates to CYAC7424@gmail.com

  • The volunteer hours from CAC or CYAC will be included in the application package without additional work or signature. CAC/CYAC maintains the volunteer hour certificate for the service projects they organize.

  • If the volunteer hour certificates are from other organizations, they must be signed by the organizations that provide the volunteer opportunities, or the organizations’ representatives. You can download and fill out this form for the organizations to certify/sign, or they can provide their own version.

  • Community service hours cannot be reused. For example, community service hours are not eligible for NSHA application if they have already been used to fulfill the requirements of a club, program or organization.

Application Fee:

  • No application fee. CAC/CYAC will cover the cost. Additional order of the metals outside the basic application fee will be covered by applicants themselves.

Award Levels：Hours Required to Earn Awards in Each Age Group in a 12-Month Period

Note: when your age is crossing two age groups, the age category to apply for the award requires your age to be in that category for at least 7 months within the 12-month period. For the award period from July 1 of previous year- June 30 of current year, you can apply for the younger age group if your birthdate is after February 28 (29).

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Eligible Services：

  • Unpaid acts of volunteer service benefiting others.

  • All CAC/CYAC organized activities are eligible

  • Eligible Service does not include：

  • Donating funds

  • Political lobbying (non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity)

  • Religious instruction

  • Conducting worship service

  • Proselytizing

  • Volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service

  • Serving only family members

If you want to participate in CAC/CYAC community service volunteer programs, please join CYAC. CYAC will provide sign up opportunities for all community service volunteer programs to their members.

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National Service Honor Award
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