After Gerry Clubhouse members went door-to-door in their neighborhoods reminding people to vote on election day, our staff was so proud of their efforts that we shared them in a letter with the then President of the United States, Barack Obama.

He was pretty impressed with our members too, and wrote us a letter to say so!

 

Dear Helen:

Thank you for writing to let me know about the boys you work with in East Harlem–I hope you’ll tell them I’m proud of them and that I expect them to hold on to their desire to play a part in shaping our country’s course.

I’m deeply grateful for your efforts to encourage and inspire our next generation of leaders, and I appreciated hearing your reflections from Election Day. Although politics can significantly affect our lives, our success has always been rooted in the willingness of our people to look our for one another and help each other through tough times. More than my Presidency, or any Presidency, it’s the optimism and selflessness of people like you that have truly changed our country for the better and that will continue to give us the strength we need to preserve.

Thanks again for your letter–it meant a lot. I can’t wait to see the things the boys you wrote about will accomplish in the years ahead, and i trust you take pride in the difference you’re making.

All the best,

President Barack Obama