Americorps Sends Teams To Aid In Tornado Debris Clean-Up
Release Date: March 9, 2001
Release Number: 1360-07
» More Information on Mississippi Tornadoes and Severe Storms
Tupelo, MS -- Americorps, a domestic Peace Corps, will send two teams to Mississippi to aid in tornado debris clean-up, John D. Hannah of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the federal official in charge of recovery efforts, said today.
Work will begin this weekend.
Two groups of ten each, with team leaders, will start work sawing and clearing debris in the counties of Lee, Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Pontotoc and Tallahatchie.
The work is a FEMA contract mission. The United Methodist Church and Golden Triangle Community Agencies Relief Effort (CARE) will serve as project coordinator. The clean-up assignment is for three weeks. These teams are coming from Americorps' Charleston, S.C. "campus."
Leon Shaifer, state coordinating officer for the State of Mississippi, said "We are pleased that these Americorps teams are able to assist in debris removal in some of the hardest hit of the 35 counties included in the presidential disaster declaration."
Americorps members train volunteers, tutor and mentor at-risk youth. They build houses, clean up rivers and streams, help seniors live independently, provide emergency and long-term assistance to those who suffered damages in natural disasters and meet other community needs.
Last Modified: Monday, 27-Oct-2003 14:07:38