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Washington D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service today announced that three organizations have been selected to receive awards totaling $900,000 to engage skilled volunteers in providing disaster recovery assistance to Gulf Coast communities devastated by the hurricanes of 2005.
The grants will go to Habitat for Humanity International, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Rebuilding Together, Inc. The announcement comes days after the beginning of the 2007 hurricane season and represent the latest investment of the agency in the comprehensive, long-term recovery of the Gulf Coast. Skilled construction volunteers from across the country are needed to lead lesser-skilled volunteers and to handle the most challenging aspects of rebuilding that require professional expertise that other volunteers do not have.
“The Skilled Service in the Gulf initiative responds to a critical need for skilled construction and medical volunteers in areas still recovering from devastation caused by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes,” said David Eisner, the Corporation’s CEO. “With the infusion of skilled volunteers, we can intensify the massive rebuilding effort.”
Through these grants, the agency is looking to build upon the success of the ongoing recovery efforts while developing a replicable model to use volunteers who are skilled trade professionals in rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of future disasters. The Corporation is committed to working in Gulf Coast recovery efforts with other partners, including Hands On Network, the American Red Cross, and The Corps Network. The Skilled Service in the Gulf initiative will supplement the strong work of these existing organizations.
The grants will support the following organizations and activities:
- Habitat for Humanity International will receive $372,946 to expand its rebuilding efforts in the Gulf by recruiting skilled construction volunteers to work through its 16 Gulf Coast local affiliates. The skilled construction volunteers will serve as leaders in the local affiliates and increase the capacity of Habitat affiliates all along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. Habitat plans to recruit many skilled volunteers, including Baby Boomers through its Care-a-Vanners program, and will collaborate with others organizations helping to rebuild Gulf communities. Habitat will facilitate travel to the Gulf for volunteers.
- Xavier University of Louisiana will receive $327,054 to recruit its alumni, which includes physicians, as well as medical professionals from partner schools to serve as health care volunteers in the Gulf. Xavier also will hold construction training courses for homeowners and volunteers, develop a “Consulting Corps” of Louisiana and Mississippi state certified skilled laborers to assist and oversee outside volunteer skilled laborers and homeowners in obtaining proper permits, and will use its own students to run a marketing and recruitment campaign in conjunction with their partners, including the National Baptist Convention U.S.A.
- Rebuilding Together, Inc. is a nonprofit housing rehabilitation organization that will use $200,000 to recruit more skilled volunteers to the Gulf to do housing rehab work through partnerships with skilled professional organizations. It also will partner with the AARP and national trades organizations in their national skilled volunteer recruitment efforts.
The Skilled Service in the Gulf initiative is part of the agency’s continued commitment to assisting with Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, more than 35,000 national service participants – including 5,400 AmeriCorps members -- have given more than two million hours of service in the Gulf. Working in cooperation with the Red Cross, FEMA, and local and state authorities, national service participants have established and operated shelters, provided meals and social services to evacuees, assisted with communications, coordinated the warehousing and distribution of donated goods, answered phones, cleared debris, provided information on housing and other resources, organized children’s activities, raised funds, and managed hundreds of thousands of community volunteers.
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 2 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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