WASHINGTON – President Bush and his wife, First Lady Laura Bush, last week joined a group of AmeriCorps members serving with Habitat for Humanity at a work site in nearby Covington, La., where the members are building houses for three families who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina.

Wearing a hard hat, work gloves, and a tool belt, the President Bush lent a hand to the 200 Habitat volunteer builders working at the site. Included among them were 29 AmeriCorps members – four of them with AmeriCorps*VISTA – who helped to organize the build, which was part of Habitat for Humanity's “Operation Home Delivery” effort to bring houses into the hurricane-affected regions of the Gulf Coast.

The houses had been “prefabricated” the week before in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza, which had been renamed "Humanity Plaza" as part of the "Today" show's "Make a Difference Today" effort to help rebuild the Gulf Coast. Some of the members that the President met with in Covington were also part of last week’s building effort in New York.

In a live interview on site, the President praised the volunteers, who had come from around the country, and noted how they had helped bring hope to the region. “We’ve seen the spirits change,” Bush said. “Local people are beginning to realize there’s hope … there’s a chance to rebuild lives … and a lot of people care about them.”

”We want to thank them and encourage others around the country to follow their example,” he added.

The First Lady echoed her husband’s sentiments, noting that their visit to Covington gave the Bushes a chance “to thank the people who do this all the time—not just in a crisis situation—but who volunteer with Habitat in their towns wherever they are across the country … or volunteer in a million other ways.”

In all, the President and Mrs. Bush spent nearly two hours on the site. Other dignitaries present included Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford, and Arkansas First Lady Janet Huckabee, a member of Habitat for Humanity International's board of directors.

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 http://www.nationalservice.gov.

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