(Washington, D.C.) -- More than 35,000 national service participants contributed more than 1.6 million hours during the first year of hurricane relief and recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast, according to a report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service. In addition to their direct service, these Senior Corps volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and Learn and Serve America students also coordinated the efforts of more than 93,000 community volunteers.

The 26-page report, “National Service Responds: The Power of Help and Hope After Katrina” chronicles the initial response and ongoing recovery activities of national service volunteers through text, photographs, vignettes, and maps. While documenting the powerful contributions made through national service, it also points out the challenges of disaster volunteering and the long road to recovery ahead. It is available in the National Service Responds section of the Corporation’s website at http://www.nationalservice.gov/katrina.

The report is part of the agency’s “Serve to Remember. Remember to Serve” campaign, which is using the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks to spur greater interest in volunteer service by Americans. The campaign also includes the release of new “Hope and Help in the Gulf” videos and PSAs aimed at recruiting more Gulf volunteers and AmeriCorps members, a compilation of new data about the massive volunteer response after Katrina, and a tour of volunteer recovery operations in Louisiana and Mississippi by members of the agency’s Board of Directors and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Working in cooperation with the Red Cross, FEMA, and local and state authorities, national service participants have established and operated shelters, provided meals and social services to evacuees, assisted with communications, coordinated the warehousing and distribution of donated goods, answered phones, cleared debris, provided information on housing and other resources, organized children’s activities, raised funds, and managed community volunteers, among other activities.

“National service programs and partners should be incredibly proud of the contributions that they have made to the Katrina response effort,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation. “From our Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America projects to our AmeriCorps and VISTA members and NCCC teams, national service programs have brought extraordinary passion, expertise, and above all talented and caring people to help in responding and healing.”

The report highlights another contribution of national service, according to Eisner -- helping organizations build capacity and tap the great generosity of citizens from across the country to help. “The experience over the last twelve months leaves national service poised to strengthen the nation’s disaster response and recovery mechanisms, and to nurture and leverage the culture of service and civic participation that continues to grow and prosper in America,” he said.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Providing service opportunities for millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, Corporation programs include Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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