AmeriCorps NCCC Honors Dr. King with Service Projects Across the Gulf Coast

Over 260 AmeriCorps NCCC members support Gulf communities

NEW ORLEANS – On January 19, over 260 AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members will serve on a variety of service projects across the Gulf Coast, joining thousands of Americans volunteering across the country for the King Day of Service. The teams of young people will support the nationwide effort to not only honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit of service, but also respond to President-elect Barack Obama’s call to service.

In New Orleans, NCCC teams will be supporting efforts all over the city, from Audubon Zoo to the city sponsored march downtown. Over 50 members will work alongside City Year Louisiana AmeriCorps members painting 20 murals at Walter Cohen High School. In St. Bernard Parish, teams will be preparing for the 10:00 pm kickoff of the St. Bernard Project’s “24 Hour Rebuild the Dream” project, an intense rebuilding project where volunteers will rebuild two homes in just 24 hours. In Harvey, La. a team will work with the American Red Cross on a community-wide fire safety awareness effort.

In Biloxi, NCCC teams will work alongside Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College students and community members on a number of service projects, from a King Day Kids' Camp to home repairs for elderly and disabled. A team will also will help with the Coast-Wide Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Battle of the Bands in Biloxi. In Hattiesburg, a team will partner with a USM sorority on a King celebration breakfast and then a mentoring/tutoring project during the day.

Since September 2005, over 4,070 NCCC members have served more than 2.1 million hours in the Gulf Coast on over 830 relief and recovery projects. This service has provided more than $35.9 million worth of resources to Gulf Coast states recovering from the devastating series of hurricanes. Working in cooperation with the American Red Cross, FEMA, local and state authorities, and rebuilding organizations, NCCC members have assisted approximately 3 million people, leveraged over 220,000 volunteers, and refurbish or constructed over 10,000 homes. Other activities have included supporting shelter operations and housing placement; establishing call centers and warehousing sites; assisting with case work and benefits coordination; setting up school and youth programs; debris removal, mucking out homes, and constructing new homes for low-income families.