The new 'Be The People' campaign wants to unite hundreds of millions of Americans to solve problems

The new ‘Be The People’ campaign wants to unite hundreds of millions of Americans to solve problems

By THALIA BEATY
Updated 12:43 PM EST, January 20, 2026

As the official celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence culminate on July 4, a well-financed, privately funded initiative will kick off to try to connect hundreds of millions of Americans with efforts to solve local problems.

The “Be The People” campaign aspires to change the perception that the U.S. is hopelessly divided and that individuals have little power to overcome problems like poverty, addiction, violence and stalled economic mobility. It also wants to move people take action to solve those problems.

Brian Hooks, chairman and CEO of the nonprofit network Stand Together, said the 250th anniversary is a unique moment “to show people that they matter, that they have a part to play, and that the future is unwritten, but it depends on each one of us stepping up to play our part.”

Funded by a mix of 50 philanthropic foundations and individual donors, Be The People builds on research that indicates many people want to contribute to their communities but don’t know how. The initiative is targeting more than $200 million for its first year’s budget.
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https://apnews.com/article/be-people-250th-anniversary-27b16603cfe7fd0caa5d22f539cea3da