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National Service Responds to the Oklahoma Tornadoes: Photos
Working closely with federal, state, and local officials, CNCS began deploying AmeriCorps members to the region on Tuesday, May 21. As of Friday, June, 14, over 170 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers were on the ground. Check out these photos and more on our photo page.
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OK Tornadoes
National Service Response
On Wednesday June 12, CNCS CEO, Wendy Spencer and Senior Advisor for Disaster Services, Kelly DeGraff, traveled to Oklahoma to meet with OK officials including the Mayor of Moore - Glenn Lewis , FEMA FCO - Sandy Coachman, National VOAD and OK VOAD partners, AmeriCorps members + Senior Corps volunteers, and community members.
During the trip they heard countless testimonies from local partners on the
importance of national service.
During a meeting community members and
leaders wanted
to know how to help the AmeriCorps members serving in their communities,
demonstrating the community’s resilience and compassion in the face of
disaster.
Over 170 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers have responded to the tornadoes and storms in OK.
AmeriCorps coordination with FEMA and VOAD – Volunteer and Donations Management
- 5 AmeriCorps St. Louis members - volunteer and donations managment
- 10 Texas Conservation Corps members - volunteer and donations managment
- 13 Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa members - volunteer and donations managment
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9 AmeriCorps NCCC members - volunteer and donations managment
- 2 Equal Justice
Works - survivor legal assistance
- 8 National Red Cross
AmeriCorps National Response Corps members - ERV operations, bulk distribution, client casework, sheltering, community partnership services
- 1 American Red Cross, MI AmeriCorps member - Feeding / Sheltering
- 3 American Red Cross of the Inland NW AmeriCorps members - Feeding /
Sheltering
FEMA Corps
- 11 teams, with 90 members deployed
- Teams are providing Disaster Survivor Assistance to
address the immediate and emerging needs of the impacted communities,
supporting Logistics section and supporting VALs with volunteer and donations
information gathering, outreach and community response and recovery
activities
Senior Corps: RSVP
- 25 volunteers trained
and assigned to man Homeowner Assistance Hotline at 211
- 3 volunteers at United
Way office fielding calls from persons affected by disasters
- 2 volunteers at shelters
- 1 volunteer at Infant
Crisis Center, caring for the children while parent is assessed for
emergency food/diapers
CO Forest Fires
Fire began June 11 in Black Forest, north of Colorado Springs. Mandatory evacuations for 13,000 homes / 38,000 individuals. Voluntary evacuations are also in effect. Over 360 homes lost, no containment – now the largest fire in Colorado history.
National Service Response
10 AmeriCorps NCCC members from the Denver campus were some of the first firefighters to respond to the Black Forest fire in Colorado Springs. They have been on site of the fire sawing, digging line, cold trailing and trying to save houses. The fire continues to grow with no containment at this time and is over 8500 acres with over 38,000 people evacuated. It expanded to Douglas and Elbert counties yesterday. Structures lost are estimated at 360. Type 1 incident team is now in lead on fire fighting efforts.
 Senior Corps RSVP Competition: Disaster Services Technical Assistance Call
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) seeks to fund organizations that can demonstrate community impact and solve community problems through a Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for RSVP grants. CNCS intends to fund RSVP grants that support volunteers age 55 years and older serving in a diverse range of activities that meet specific community needs and respond to national performance measures. The performance measures are aligned with regulations in the 2009 Serve America Act and our CNCS Strategic Plan in the following six focus areas: disaster services, economic opportunity; education; environmental stewardship; healthy futures; and veterans and military families.
Senior Corps has scheduled a technical assistance call for organizations engaged in disaster activities that will be held on July 1, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.
The call-in information is below:
Dial-In Number: 800-621-3587
Participant Passcode: 5452187
The full text of the RSVP NOFO with available geographic regions can be found at www.nationalservice.gov/RSVPCompetition. We are hosting other Technical Assistance (TA) calls to answer general questions about this funding opportunity.
A Senior Corps fact sheet with information about the RSVP program can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov/factsheet_seniorcorps.pdf.
Please join us on these call if you have an interest in this funding opportunity. Please also feel free to forward this email to other organizations that you think may be interested in this funding opportunity.
RESOURCES
New
Disaster Events
For
information on new disaster events, please visit FEMA’s daily situation report.
CNCS
Disaster Services Knowledge Network
This online network provides a place to share what
works at the intersection of disaster services and national service.
Disaster
Preparedness
If you
would like to learn more about how to prepare your family and/or community
please visit www.ready.gov.
Disaster
Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
The
Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, year-round crisis counseling and
support. The Helpline is staffed by trained counselors from a network of
crisis call centers located across the United States, all of whom provide:
- Crisis
counseling for those who are in emotional distress related to any natural
or human-caused disaster
- Information
on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families
- Tips
for healthy coping
- Disaster-specific
resources and referral information.
The
Disaster Services Unit (DSU) of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has agency-wide responsibility for coordination
of CNCS disaster services activities. The DSU provides expertise, ongoing
support, and access to a network of dedicated volunteers. CNCS subscribes
to the belief that all disasters are local. Our focus is on enhancing and
adding value to what already exists in communities and infrastructure --
working in partnership with State Service Commissions, local government,
nonprofits, and faith-based organizations.
The
Disaster Services Unit can be reached at DSU@cns.gov and is staffed by:
Kelly DeGraff, Senior Advisor, Disaster Services
Katrina French, Program Officer, Disaster Services
Jen Prall, Program Officer, Disaster Services
Jason Scott, Program Officer, Disaster Services
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