Our mission is to teach Americans, especially young Americans, how to be effective citizens.

We believe:

  • The lack of citizen involvement in our nation is a quiet epidemic and threat to our future. (more)
  • Americans need a broader view of citizenship - it goes well beyond voting, jury duty, and community service. (more)
  • Effective citizens can do simple, yet powerful things - citizen actions - and these citizen actions keep our country strong, vital and free.

Our Focus is on those citizen actions - identifying them, explaining why they matter and, in some cases, explaining how to do them.  We have grouped 100 citizen actions into six categories.  Specifically categories of actions that: 

  1. remind us of our heritage,  
  2. involve us in the democratic process,
  3. support groups with a special  responsibility for  keeping the country strong,
  4. help us better understand our government,
  5. promote a sense of community, and
  6. keep individuals and families strong.

President Kennedy recognized this need for more citizen involvement in his 1961 Inaugural address admonition:
"Ask not what your country can do for you -
 ask what you can do for your country." 

In some small, yet important way, Good Citizen's mission is a response to his plea. (listen - 15 min)