Principles contained in the handbook, intended to guide individuals and agencies who receive national service grants, characterize common components of national service programs. The four issues covered by national service include education, human needs, public safety, and the environment. Specific national service priorities relate to school readiness and success, crime prevention, health, homeless people, rebuilding neighborhoods, and conserving the environment. The handbook focuses on improving the quality and availability of child development programs, teaching literacy and other basic skills to parents of young children, helping teenage parents stay in school by providing such needed services as child care, coordinating service-learning activities, working in classrooms with high concentrations of low-income students, mentoring and tutoring, and providing after-school and summer learning opportunities. In addition, the handbook addresses community policing, crime victim services, crime and violence prevention, independent living assistance and health care for elderly or disabled persons, health and housing needs of low-income communities, preventive health care, services for the homeless, job training, neighborhood revitalization, and environmental protection. Core elements of successful national service programs are identified as a strong organization, effective service projects, evaluation, high quality participant experience, community partnerships, and diversity. Appendixes contain definitions, identify requirements of the AmeriCorps Program, and give program examples.