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Dear National Service Colleagues:
On Tuesday, August 29th, we will mark the first anniversary of Katrina. As Americans, we will reflect on the incredible losses sustained by the Gulf region and the long road to recovery still ahead. We will also remember the generosity shown by the more than 550,000 volunteers who have contributed millions of hours of service toward rebuilding the Gulf region’s communities.
National service programs and partners should be incredibly proud of the contributions that they have made to this broader volunteer response. Thank you for the pivotal role you have played in ensuring that those with the desire to serve can make a meaningful difference. 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 Corporation has worked to document the national service and volunteer response to date and mark the anniversary of Katrina with a call for more volunteers. Highlighted below are several related resources, which are all live on http://www.nationalservice.gov/katrina:
- National Service Responds: The Power of Help and Hope, a new report we’re releasing today, documents national service’s role and impact in the Gulf to date. More than 35,100 national service participants have contributed more than 1.6 million hours of service to relief and recovery efforts. They have also leveraged an additional 92,800 community volunteers.
- During the past month, the Corporation has worked with a group of volunteer-driven organizations to record the overall volunteer contributions to the relief and recovery efforts. Our Volunteers Respond fact sheet highlights the accomplishments and activities of more than 40 national and Gulf-based organizations. We also have compiled research on the impacts disasters have on civic behavior.
- More volunteers and national service participants are desperately needed in the Gulf region to help families and communities rebuild. To help recruit the thousands more individuals needed, the Corporation has developed a series of new videos and television PSAs to support AmeriCorps recruitment in the Gulf and the call for more community volunteers.
- Lastly, you should be aware of the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which in its inaugural year is recognizing the contributions of colleges and universities to the Gulf Coast recovery. The application deadline is September 15th. Click here to find out more or apply.
The Corporation is committed to drawing attention to the continued need for volunteers in the Gulf and ensuring that national service will be at work in the Gulf Coast region as long as recovery continues, and beyond.
On behalf of the administration and our Board of Directors – who will be touring the Gulf next week along with the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation – thank you for all that you have done this past year. Your efforts have demonstrated the relevance of citizen engagement in meeting our nation’s most critical needs. And more importantly, you have personified the volunteer spirit –bringing humanity, compassion, and hope to millions of people.
In service,
David Eisner
CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service
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