New Orleans – More than 320 AmeriCorps members are teaming up with the NBA to provide the logistical backbone for a massive one-day service effort today by more than 2,500 members of the NBA family in town for Sunday’s All-Star game.

The NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service caps off a week-long schedule of community service events benefiting thousands of New Orleans-area residents. Volunteers will include NBA All-Stars and participants, former players, NBA business and media partners, and guests.

AmeriCorps members serving with AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps VISTA, and Habitat for Humanity, City Year LA, Hands On New Orleans, and Rebuilding Together are playing a key role in managing today’s projects and volunteers. The Louisiana Serve Commission, part of the Office of Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, worked with the NBA and AmeriCorps on the service day as part of a larger effort to promote service and voluntourism.

All Star Day of Service projects will take place across the city and include school revitalizations with City Year and Hands On New Orleans, home repair with Rebuilding Together, a KaBOOM! playground build, and home builds in Musicians Village with Habitat for Humanity. AmeriCorps members will also be supporting tonight’s T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam at the New Orleans Arena, an entertainment event for 6,000 youth who’ve successfully completed an educational and community incentives program.

"NBA Cares worked with our office to identify real needs in the community and determine how they could have the greatest impact. Today, Louisiana is the poster child for civic engagement, and we sincerely appreciate the NBA's strong and sustained commitment to community service," Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu said.

AmeriCorps role of managing volunteers for the day of service mirrors what many AmeriCorps members do year-round. The 10,000-plus AmeriCorps members who’ve served in the Gulf since Katrina have given more than 2.8 million hours of service and supported more than 229,000 community volunteers – nearly a quarter of the total volunteer force.

“The outpouring of volunteer compassion has been a vital part of the Katrina recovery effort, and we salute the NBA for putting a strong focus on community service during all-star week and throughout the year," said Merlene Mazyck, Director of AmeriCorps NCCC. “While much progress has been made, volunteers will be needed for many years to come, and we hope more Americans will answer the call to serve – whether for a day, a week, or full-time through AmeriCorps.”

Since August 2005, AmeriCorps’ parent agency the Corporation for National and Community Service has provided more than $130 million worth of resources to Gulf Coast states recovering from the devastating series of hurricanes. Working in cooperation with the Red Cross, FEMA, and local and state authorities, more than 92,000 national service volunteers have contributed more than 3.5 million hours to the recovery effort and have managed 262,000 volunteers. Activities have included supporting shelter operations and housing placement; establishing call centers and warehousing sites; assisting with case work and benefits coordination; setting up school and youth programs; debris removal, mucking out homes, and construction of new homes for low-income families.

AmeriCorps role in hurricane relief and the NBA Cares All Star Day of Service were highlighted on CNN’s AC 360 news program last night as host Anderson Cooper broadcast the show live from Camp Hope, a Habitat for Humanity volunteer base camp in St. Bernard Parish. Cooper thanked the 200 AmeriCorps NCCC members in the audience for their work in the rebuilding effort and interviewed two members about their service.

The NBA All-Star game is another sign of New Orleans resurgence. More than 150,000 people are expected to attend events during the week-long celebration. The NBA Cares Community Caravan includes 25 community service events in New Orleans taking place including reading rallies at elementary schools, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA fitness and sportsmanship clinics, hospital visits, new basketball court dedications, wheelchair basketball exhibitions and Special Olympic clinics.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation provides opportunities for more than four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. For more information, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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