New Orleans, LA - With the school year drawing to a close, Federal officials today are launching a new initiative to keep young people engaged and challenged over the summer months. The initiative will bring up to 200 AmeriCorps VISTA members to serve with local agencies. The members will provide enrichment programs, academic tutoring, and recreational activities for 4,000 children and youth in New Orleans.

Many local youth lack access to constructive options during the summer because schools will shut down and summer programs for the children and youth of New Orleans have not been fully restored from Hurricane Katrina damage. The AmeriCorps members will respond to these needs by serving, from June until August, with more than a dozen local organizations. With the AmeriCorps VISTA involvement, local organizations expect to expand services to young people.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps, is funding the VISTA Summer of Service New Orleans 2007 at the invitation of the White House Office of Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, and in partnership with the Louisiana Serve Commission in the office of Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu.

“AmeriCorps members have made extraordinary contributions to this rebuilding effort, and now they are stepping forward again to meet the pressing needs of children in New Orleans,” said Donald E. Powell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.“This proactive Federal initiative will provide critical support to local organizations and help ensure a safe, uplifting summer for thousands of young people.”

“This initiative takes advantage of the flexibility of national service in meeting pressing needs along with the powerful role that AmeriCorps members can play in engaging youth in constructive activities like service,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation. “The best part is we’re not treating these youths like disadvantaged clients, but as assets who can contribute to restoring their communities.”

“Through this partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service and Chairman Powell, we will serve more than 4,000 children this summer,” said Landrieu, who oversees Louisiana Serve Commission. “In the aftermath Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I declared 2007 the Year of Service to rekindle citizen service in Louisiana and harness the desire to build stronger communities. Through initiatives such as this, we are reaching that goal.”

The announcement came during the first-ever AmeriCorps Week, May 13-20, which marks AmeriCorps reaching 500,000 members, salutes AmeriCorps members and alums for their powerful impact, thanks AmeriCorps community partners, and urges more Americans to serve. During the week, more than 200 events will take place including service projects, recruitment fairs, school presentations, alumni gatherings, AmeriCorps-for-a-Day events with elected officials, and awards ceremonies. On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 385 commending AmeriCorps and recognizing AmeriCorps Week, and 19 Governors have issued or will be issuing AmeriCorps Week proclamations.

This initiative is part of the agency’s continued commitment to assisting with Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, more than 35,000 national service participants – including 5,400 AmeriCorps members -- have given more than two million hours of service in the Gulf. 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 hundreds of thousands of community volunteers.

The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding coordinates the Federal rebuilding efforts by working with state and local officials to focus on a set of prioritized, integrated and long-term initiatives to rebuild the region.

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. The Corporation’s mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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