Disaster
Over the last two weeks, all of us have watched the devastation caused by floods in Louisiana.
More than 560 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers have been responding in recent weeks to the devastation caused by the floods in Louisiana.
Volunteer Louisiana and AmeriCorps grantees from across the state and around the country quickly responded to the catastrophic event.
A major $4.5 million Mission Assignment from FEMA and the State of Louisiana has been secured and experienced AmeriCorps Disaster Leaders from Washington Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps St. Louis ERT and Montana Conservation Corps have established an incident command and operations center.
During the first week, 296 total AmeriCorps members, including AmeriCorps NCCC teams and members from at least eight programs from across the country were deployed.
This deployment is on par with the response during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina more than 10 years ago. That was a major moment for national service, as elected leaders at all levels, the media, corporate supporters and more witnessed the value of national service. It is also a primary reason we have such a robust, multi-faceted disaster services program that has coordinated the deployment of thousands of Senior Corps and AmeriCorps members over the last decade. AmeriCorps prides itself on staying in communities for the long-term recovery until the community is whole again—long after the media and public eye has waned.
With focus on the Louisiana flooding, AmeriCorps is also helping disaster-stricken communities in California, Texas and West Virginia.
With so many other tragedies that shake our communities, the desire to help that follows brings hope. Here are a few ways you can help:
Make Cash Contributions
In the immediate aftermath, cash donations to trusted organizations are the most efficient way to support recovery efforts. They enable relief organizations to reaction quickly to provide the most relevant supplies and services.
Tragically, in the wake of disasters, fraudulent charities can spring up to take advantage of people eager to help affected communities. Learn how to donate responsibly with these resources from the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster site.
Share Volunteer Opportunities
Interested volunteers should contact: Volunteer Louisiana
Stay Informed
To receive updates on the agency’s deployments, sign up for the Disaster Services brief. More on the federal response and survivor assistance is available from FEMA; state information from Volunteer Louisiana.
The people of Louisiana—and across the country—are counting on us!