Additional Crews to Deploy from Utah, Vermont and Florida Next Week

Kiln, MS – Corpsmembers and staff from the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC) arrived last night at the Kiln ballpark volunteer camp, where they will be based during their four week deployment to Hancock County, MS.  

The crew of ten will join other volunteers to restore the William H. Kelley Retreat Center on the grounds of the St. Augustine Seminary in downtown Bay St. Louis.  The rehabilitated Retreat Center will later be used to house other volunteers to the region.  The MCC crew will also work on projects identified by the Hancock County EOC Long-Term Recovery Committee.

This crew from Minnesota is the first of about 30 crews from the nation’s Service and Conservation Corps that will be deploying to Hancock County over the next 6-9 months as part of the NASCC Gulf Coast Recovery Corps.  The National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC) is operating the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps thanks to an AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

Crews from Utah, Florida and Vermont will be deploying to the region on October 9th, bringing the total Gulf Coast Recovery Corps number to 33 Corpsmembers and staff on the ground.  These additional crews will complete a variety of projects, including restoration work at Buccaneer State Park near Waveland, MS, and Big Branch Marsh federal wildlife refuge in Lacombe, LA.  Over the next year, the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps will send nearly 300 young people to the region to help residents in the recovery efforts.  NASCC also seeks to create a permanent Corps program in the region.

According to Sally Prouty, President of NASCC, “Corps have a long and proud history of working with communities on disaster preparedness and quickly responding to natural disasters when they do occur.  This new Gulf Coast Recovery Corps initiative will create an infrastructure for NASCC Corps to expand upon their successes in providing relief to the region by bringing experienced, skilled crews to Mississippi to assist in the long-term recovery efforts.”

About the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC)

NASCC is the voice of the nation’s 108 Service and Conservation Corps. Currently operating in 40 states and the District of Columbia, Corps annually enroll more than 23,000 young men and women who contribute about 13 million hours of service per year. In 2004, Corps mobilized 124,000 community volunteers who contributed over 2.4 million additional hours of service.

Established in 1985, NASCC was at the forefront of the national service movement and remains so today.  Corps are state and local programs engaging primarily young adults (ages 16-25) in service.  The majority of Corpsmembers come to Corps looking for a second chance to succeed in life.  In return for their efforts, Corpsmembers receive guidance by adult leaders who serve as mentors and role models, a modest stipend and a wide range of member development services including significant educational opportunities, employment and training, life skill development, and the opportunity to invest in their communities. 

For more information, visit www.nascc.org or contact: Patrick Fitzgerald, National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, at pfitzgerald@nascc.org or at 202-737-6272.

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