The Obama Foundation Launches Volunteer Program Ahead of the Obama Presidential Center Opening

Rooted in President Obama’s legacy of civic engagement, the new program will recruit community members from Chicago’s South Side and beyond to serve as Ambassadors at the Center

CHICAGO – The Obama Foundation today announced the launch of its volunteer program, a new initiative to engage community members — known as “Ambassadors” — in public-facing roles that will help create a welcoming and meaningful visitor experience when the Obama Presidential Center opens in June 2026. The program is currently accepting applications for the first cohort of 75 to 100 volunteers, with the program expected to expand in the future.

“The Obama Presidential Center is a place where the world meets the best of the city of Chicago, and our volunteers will help bring that vision to life every day,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “As Ambassadors, they will create a welcoming and inclusive experience for visitors while representing the strength, resilience, and leadership of this community. Together, we are building something that inspires service, connection, and action far beyond our walls.”

With recruitment focused on Chicago residents, the volunteer program is designed to reflect the mission and values of the Obama Foundation. During the program’s initial phase, volunteer “Ambassadors” will greet visitors, provide directional assistance, share information on exhibitions and events, and ensure every guest feels personally welcomed from the moment they arrive. 

The program reflects President Obama’s longstanding conviction that the strength of American democracy is rooted in the willingness of its people to serve, help, and work together.

Volunteerism has been central to President Obama’s vision of civic life since his earliest days as a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side. His presidential campaign mobilized 2.2 million grassroots volunteers, and his administration expanded national service through landmark initiatives including the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and United We Serve. The Obama Foundation Volunteer Program extends that tradition, channeling the energy and dedication of community members into the daily life of the Center.

Applications for the Obama Foundation Volunteer Program are now available online. Interviews for the inaugural cohort are underway, with the first volunteer training session scheduled for April 2026 ahead of the Center’s soft opening. For more information or to apply, visit obama.org/volunteer .

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About The Obama Foundation

The Obama Foundation is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins on the South Side of Chicago, where the Foundation is building the Obama Presidential Center. But that approach extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity. From every corner of the globe, our program participants are working together to address some of the biggest challenges of our time—from renewing our democratic institutions, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, fighting climate change, and so much more.

Contact : Emily Bittner, press@obama.org