Minneapolis, Minn. - Thanks to a $20,000 donation from the General Mills Foundation, a team of 13 AmeriCorps*VISTA members from Minnesota is heading to Florida to be part of hurricane recovery efforts in the Pensacola area. The donation will cover the AmeriCorps*VISTA members’ airfare and lodging costs. In addition, Northwest Airlines is providing discounted fares to the group. The AmeriCorps*VISTA members will meet at the Minneapolis Airport at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, September 25, and will be available to the media for about an hour.

“In this time of crisis for the thousands of Americans in Florida, we realized that we had AmeriCorps*VISTA members in Minnesota who were ready and willing to help,” said Robert Jackson, the Minnesota state program director for the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the AmeriCorps*VISTA program. “But because our budget does not include interstate travel, we wouldn’t have been able to lend a hand without the generous support of the General Mills Foundation.”

“In the aftermath of the destruction, there is an enormous need to help people get their lives and their homes back in order,” said Chris Shea, General Mills Foundation president. “Being able to respond in an innovative way by getting the volunteers to where help is needed most maximizes the resources of our Foundation and fulfills a major need.”

During their two-week deployment in Pensacola, the AmeriCorps*VISTA members will serve with the Christian Contractors Association, helping residents repair damage to their homes. They will be joining the more than 600 national service participants who are already in the state helping people get their lives in order. In Minnesota, the AmeriCorps*VISTAs serve in programs addressing literacy, immigrant issues, and housing. The 13 members each volunteered to serve in this emergency capacity.

“I’m delighted that AmeriCorps*VISTAs from Minnesota will be able join the hundreds of AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers throughout Florida and the surrounding region who have responded to this crisis,” said Corporation CEO David Eisner. “In times of need, national service is always willing to answer the call. Having partners like General Mills makes us an even more valuable resource to the nation, and we greatly appreciate their generous assistance.”

The General Mills Foundation, celebrating 50 years of giving, is a champion for a stronger community. In fiscal 2004, General Mills awarded $86 million to communities across the country, representing more than five percent of company pretax profits. Of that amount, the Foundation awarded a total of $20 million in grants in the targeted areas of family life, education, youth nutrition and fitness, and arts and culture.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.org.

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