The Association of Americans for Civic Responsibility (AACR) was founded in 2001 with the mission of educating and encouraging all individuals and institutions in the United States to advance the public good of all the people through the performance of civic responsibility, such as volunteerism, social involvement and community service. AACR believes this civic responsibility, sprung from one’s ethical and moral obligations, is more than just a “social responsibility” because “civic responsibility” requires all members of all sectors of life in the United States to give back to the United States based on their privilege of living, working, learning, or doing business in the United States. Because the essence of democracy is the participation of the very people and entities that benefit from its fruits, the active performance of civic responsibility is, then, essential for the successful continuance of the democratic process in the United States.

In order to realize the vision of a better American democratic society, AACR seeks to foster understanding of the concept of civic responsibility among US citizens, non-citizen American residents, and various institutions, including organizations, forums, clubs, foundations, ethnic and cultural associations, educational facilities, business corporations and firms, NGOs, and professional and trade groups, from the smallest to the largest, in the United States. AACR also seeks to encourage these entities to take an active role in performing civic responsibility. AACR will:

• Organize appropriate educational programs on civic responsibility for youth leaders at the local, state, and national levels in the United States;
• Develop and distribute educational materials on the necessity to perform individual and collective civic duties;
• Sponsor regional, national, and international conferences on relevant topics concerning various pragmatic aspects of civic responsibility;
• Gather and disseminate pertinent information on the performance of institutional civic responsibility by US-based legal entities, including all organizations and businesses to all other groups and the general public;
• Promote the performance of corporate civic responsibilities among US and overseas-based American companies, including effective customer relations, efficient consumer service, fair employment practice, investor protection programs, and ethical behavior for the larger interest of the general public in the United States and abroad;
• Provide guidance and counseling to those leaders of small and mid-size institutions seeking to fulfill their civic duties, particularly in trying circumstances; and
• Design and facilitate appropriate leadership training programs on civic responsibility for leaders of immigrant community groups in the United States.