Conservation Corps responds to Hurricane Harvey
PRESS RELEASE
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
September 5, 2017
For immediate release
Contacts:
Melissa Cuff
Conservation Corps
651/209-9900, ext. 26
melissa.cuff@conservationcorps.org
Mark Wilson
Conservation Corps
515-412-7130
mark.wilson@conservationcorps.org
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa responds to Hurricane Harvey
St. Paul, Minn., September 5, 2017 – Across the country, AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams have deployed or are on standby provide assistance to the Texas communities affected by Hurricane Harvey. On Tuesday, September 5, 2017, 49 members and staff from Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa will join that team.
AmeriCorps members from all five Minnesota districts and our Youth Outdoors program will spend the next 90 days coordinating volunteers, managing donations, sandbagging, removing debris and assisting with home repairs. Beyond this period, additional member deployment will occur as needed.
“Disaster response deployments are not easy projects, physically or mentally,” says Iowa District Manager, Mark Wilson. “Not only have our members selflessly volunteered to assist hundreds or thousands of flood survivors, but they also have signed up for a truly life-changing and unique experience themselves. I am continually awed by their commitment to serving our nation and their impact on the lives of complete strangers whosehomes and families have been devastated by these disasters.”
Elizabeth Gapp is one of the 49 AmeriCorps members traveling to Texas from Minnesota & Iowa. Inspired by the opportunity to serve others, she shared, “I signed-up for this once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of something bigger than me and help others. I’m young, able and ready to put my disaster response training into action.” Elizabeth grew up in Minnesota and joined Conservation Corps to gain natural resources skills and serve her community.
Deployment is made possible through collaboration between Conservation Corps, the Corporation for National and Community Service Disaster Services Unit, FEMA and the State of Texas. Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa is among eight Corps throughout the country that specializes and trains members in disaster response. The Corps has a collaborative agreement with the Disaster Services Unit, allowing for the assignment of AmeriCorps members to disaster response.
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About Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa provides hands-on environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities for youth and young adults. They perform conservation, natural resource management and emergency response work throughout Minnesota, Iowa and surrounding states. www.conservationcorps.org
About AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 men and women in intensive service each year through more than 15,000 nonprofits, schools, public agencies and community and faith-based groups across the country. Since 1994, AmeriCorps has provided critical support to millions of Americans affected by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, forest fires, terror attacks and other natural and man-made disasters and is a vital resource in America’s emergency management infrastructure.