"Americans are responding to the evil of the September 11 attacks with rekindled patriotism and a renewed commitment to secure our nation. Nowhere is that more true than here in Fresno, where countless citizens have asked, 'What can I do to help?'"
Mayor Alan Autry City of Fresno

In his 2002 State of the Union message, President Bush announced the creation of USA Freedom Corps, an umbrella organization that includes AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, the Senior Corps and the newly-created Citizen Corps. He did so in an effort to expand opportunities for American citizens to help protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. The Citizen Corps was created to harness volunteer power in local communities to help prevent and respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, or any kind of disaster.

In keeping with its long tradition of volunteer activism, Fresno is proud to be among the first communities in the nation to join the Citizen Corps. The Fresno Citizen Corps has been created to add volunteer capacity to the city's public safety and emergency response organizations as well as to engage more citizens in the welfare of the city. The Fresno Citizen Corps will serve as a coordinating arm between the city's many volunteer, faith-based, health-care, business, military, public safety and emergency response organizations, and in the process it will help build a more strongly bonded community.