Editing America's Promise (section)

===Presidents' Summit for America's Future===
In July 1995, former Michigan Governor [[George W. Romney|George Romney]] (and father of 2012 Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]]) outlined his vision of "a summit at which all living presidents and leaders from all sectors of society would gather to support citizen service and show it was not a partisan issue."<ref name="summit">[http://www.cnn.com/US/9704/27/volunteer.ceremony/ CNN, "Clinton kicks off volunteer summit," April 27, 1997]</ref><ref name="wofford">[http://democracyjournal.org/magazine/33/can-national-service-become-integral-to-our-culture/ Wofford, Harris, "Can National Service Become Integral to Our Culture?" ''Democracy Journal'', Summer 2004.]</ref> Only four days after completing this outline, Romney died of natural causes.<ref name="summit" />

Before his death, however, Romney shared his vision of this bipartisan summit focused on volunteerism with former U.S. Senator [[Harris Wofford]], who had recently become CEO of the [[Corporation for National and Community Service]] and Bob Goodwin, president of Bush's [[Points of Light Foundation]]. Wofford and Goodwin agreed to enlist their organizations in fulfilling Romney's plans for the summit, so Romney "died knowing that the summit would go forward."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/First_Lady/html/teens/wofford.html |title=The White House, The White House Conference on Teenagers |access-date=2017-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310025737/http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/First_Lady/html/teens/wofford.html |archive-date=2016-03-10 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In his 1997 [[State of the Union]] address, President Bill Clinton laid out the overarching theme and goal of the summit: "to mobilize America's citizen power in a united effort to solve our common problems, especially those that threaten our young people."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/New/Summit/ |title=The Presidents' Summit for America's Future, 1997 |access-date=2017-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123194305/https://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/New/Summit/ |archive-date=2017-01-23 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Three months later, Presidents Clinton and George H. W. Bush officially co-convened the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in Philadelphia.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170802205659/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-05-03/news/9805010322_1_america-s-promise-powell-summer-jobs ''Sun Sentinel'', "Volunteer Recruitment Falls Short But Powell Effort Deserves Respect," May 3, 1998]</ref> Retired Gen. Colin Powell served as the chairman of the event,<ref>[https://www.baltimoresun.com/1997/07/13/a-penny-saved-is-good-but-donating-it-is-fine-too-finances-american-benefactor-reports-on-a-couple-of-failures-and-new-age-journal-discusses-living-within-modest-means/ ''Baltimore Sun'', A penny saved is good, but donating it is fine, too Finances: American Benefactor reports on a couple of failures, and New Age Journal discusses living within modest means, July 13, 1997]</ref> and four out of the five living presidents attended, with [[Nancy Reagan]] representing her husband [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name="wofford" />

More than 20 governors, nearly 100 mayors, 145 community delegations, and many prominent business leaders and celebrities also attended the summit.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151231225200/http://articles.philly.com/1997-04-23/news/25531609_1_presidents-summit-youth-philadelphians ''Philly.com'', "The Focus Is On Youth Five Goals Are Designed To Rescue At-risk Children Stars Will Fall On Philly During Special Days"]</ref> With the official slogan, "Two Million by 2000," the summit encouraged business, government, nonprofit, and community leaders across the country to work together to improve the lives of 2 million of the nation's 15 million at-risk youth by 2000.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Clinton-volunteers-clean-up-inner-city-3122932.php Powell, Stewart M., "Clinton, volunteers clean up inner city," ''San Francisco Chronicle'', April 28, 1997]</ref>

In 1998, Gen. Powell responded to criticism that the summit and ensuing America's Promise campaign were little more than symbolic gestures and reported that, as a result of the summit, among other things, Big Brothers and Big Sisters amassed a 22 percent increase in adults enlisting as mentors; Boys and Girls Clubs of America added 100,000 new members; the U.S Chamber of Commerce committed to helping 3 million young people find summer jobs; and the LensCrafters company gave 100,000 free eye exams to children from low-income families.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170802205659/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-05-03/news/9805010322_1_america-s-promise-powell-summer-jobs ''Sun Sentinel'', "Volunteer Recruitment Falls Short But Powell Effort Deserves Respect," May 3, 1998]</ref>