"You volunteer because you get a good feeling about what you can do and the impact you can make. And the young woman who says, 'I didn't have any goals or direction before I entered this program, and all of a sudden I know where I'm going now. I know what I want. This has given me a focus.' That's nice to see. The Miss America program can change someone's life."

Aurelie Allegretto
Miss America Organization Volunteer

The Miss America Program.

Like most Americans, you've probably seen the Miss America competition televised live annually from Atlantic City, NJ. What you probably haven't seen is what's going on behind the scenes of the show, thanks to hundreds of thousands of volunteers throughout the country.

The nationally televised Miss America competition is just one very small part of a nationwide, community service network that operates 12 months a year in every state and more than a thousand cities and towns across the country. On an annual basis, Miss America state and local titleholders, along with the Organization's network of volunteers, participate in more than 12,000 community service projects, providing in excess of 500,000 service hours to worthy causes.

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Each year, the Miss America Organization makes available more than $40 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance. The program exists to give young women a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which they can express their talents, intelligence and opinions on culture, politics and the community.

Local and state Miss America programs - more than a thousand of them, in fact - are all part of the vast Miss America network. The volunteers who run these programs do much more than put on an annual competition. They provide scholarships that help finance the education of thousands of young women every year. They create opportunities for young women's voices to be heard across the nation on important social issues. And they help young women gain the personal and professional skills they need to succeed in life.

Who Are the Miss America Volunteers?

The volunteers who become involved in the Miss America Organization are just like you. They come from all walks of life, every generation and represent all professions and academic disciplines.

Those who become volunteers tend to stay involved because they're making a difference and having a great time along the way. The Miss America Organization offers volunteers a unique opportunity to integrate their diverse backgrounds and interests to make valuable contributions to their communities, empower young women, form lifelong friendships, further their own business objectives and dabble in the glitz and glamour of show business.

Volunteer Opportunities Include:

Awards Committee Members		Merchandise Representatives
Back Stage Assistants		New Locals Development Committee Members
Board Members		Publicity Committee
Business Managers		Production Specialists
Committee Chairpersons		Program Book Committee Members
Community Relations Liaison		Registration & Recruitment Specialists
Contestant Coordinators		Scholarship Committee Members
Development Specialists		Security Experts
Food Service Supervisors		Special Events Committee Members
Gift Liaisons		State & Local Directors
Hospitality Specialists		Ticket Takers & Ushers
Judges		Transportation Experts
Judges Committee		Traveling Companions
Logistics Team Members		Wardrobe Consultants
Marketing Specialists		Web Site Specialists
And many, many more!!

Those volunteers who live close to Atlantic City assist with the national level of competition. The Atlantic City Hostess Committee retains more than 200 volunteer women each year who do everything from host the media to work with contestants. Many other people get involved at the national level via other committees, some of which include the Parade Committee, Security Committee (must have prior training/credentials), and the Parents' Committee.

If you have time, talent, a service or a venue to contribute, we have a place - and a need - for you. Whether you direct a local Miss America program, wash cars at a fundraiser or reach out to other community service organizations and educators to secure briefings and platform related appearances for your Miss America titleholder, you will be making a positive difference in your community and in young women's lives.

For more information about volunteering in the Miss America system:

• (1) Click here to find contact information for the state you are interested in volunteering in;
• (2) Fax 609-345-6565 or mail a letter to the Director of Field Operations, c/o The Miss America Organization, Two Miss America Way, Suite 1000, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. Once your information is received you will be put in contact with the state or local director in your area, or to a committee chairman if you live in the Atlantic City area.