other charities to identify individuals that they feel are most deserving.
Will participants receive tickets for the swearing-in ceremony?
No … But from our viewpoint [at the hotel] for the parade, we are only several blocks from the [site] of the swearing-in. [From the hotel] we looked directly down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol.
Why is it important to offer such an experience for the underserved?
This is what this country is about–the people. Somehow this country has become distracted and the power is no longer with the people … the underserved … Maybe it’s time we start looking to help each other. For a lot of the people who are economically disadvantaged, and even those who are not, it could be difficult for them to afford to be here [for the inauguration]. But this is what it’s about–the people. And they shouldn’t be excluded because they can’t afford to [participate.]
For more information about volunteering, nominating participants, or getting involved in The People’s Inauguration Project, call 703-476-1000, e-mail inauguration@thestaffordfoundation.org, or visit The Stafford Foundation’s Website (which will be updated more frequently in coming days.)