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The Corporation for National and Community Service
(CNCS) Disaster Services Unit (DSU) 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.
Disaster Services Highlight
AmeriCorps St. Louis is back to work in their home state of Missouri after many months of Hurricane Sandy response and recovery work in New York and New Jersey.
 AmeriCorps St. Louis deployed to Hazelwood, MO to stand up and administer a volunteer reception center over the weekend. "Now that we are a couple days into this, people are beginning to figure out how to get their lives back together,” said Bruce Bailey, director of Americorps St. Louis, a federal community service organization which is helping with the recovery effort. “It will take a fair amount of time for the restoration to take place.”
AmeriCorps St. Louis is also bracing to respond to recent severe weather and imminent flooding due to the spring thaw from northern states.
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Severe Mid-Western Weather
CNCS is collaborating with state service commissions, the American Red Cross, and Federal partners in states that have experienced flooding, tornadoes, and other severe weather in the last week. If you need assistance and have not been in contact with the DSU, please email DSU@cns.gov.
West, Texas Explosion
CNCS is collaborating with the State Emergency Manager, American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Texas State Service Commission, and the CNCS Texas State Office to assess the tragic situation in the town of West, Texas.
Susan Copeland, a leader with the Texas Senior Corps Association is on the ground and coordinating efforts directly with town leaders. Susan leads a group 66 Senior Corps participants in and around the town of West, Texas. We salute Susan for her efforts and for the excellent communication she is providing from ground zero. Here are the latest updates:
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The One Star Foundation has provided strong leadership in opening up their volunteer registration online for those wishing to support the response and recovery. Volunteers may register at: http://www.volunteertx.org/
- Information is currently limited; town residents remain evacuated and in shelters
- There has been an outpouring of supplies and donations; at this time additional volunteers and donations are NOT needed
- The town needs time to assess the damage and leaders are asking people not to self-deploy
- Local Senior Corps volunteers and AmeriCorps VISTA members are assisting at the West Community Center
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American Youth Works will deploy 20 AmeriCorps members to support Team Rubicon with volunteer and donations management efforts. American Youth Works is expected to arrive on site before noon tomorrow, April 19.
- American Youth Works has placed a 10-member team on standby, pending request for deployment
- A Southwest Campus AmeriCorps NCCC team is on standby, pending request for deployment
Hurricane Sandy
In response to Hurricane Sandy, the CNCS DSU is coordinating with FEMA, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, the American Red Cross, Points of Light, Hands On Network, and state and local authorities, among others, to provide much-needed services to Sandy impacted areas.
As ordered by the President of the United States, CNCS is one of several government agencies designated to work with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Donovan on the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.
- In total, more than 3,600 national service participants have deployed in response to Hurricane Sandy.
- Currently, 536 national service members are on the ground providing Volunteer Reception administration and support, mucking and gutting, and debris removal services.
New Jersey
Currently more than 290 national service members are supporting response and recovery efforts. Overall, more than 1,000 national service members have responded to support disaster response and recovery operations.
Members are working in Atlantic, Monmouth and Ocean counties with county FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons, Weekend Warriors, municipalities, and faith-based organizations such as the Southern Baptists and the United Methodists to administer Volunteer Reception Centers, recruit and train unaffiliated volunteers and leverage these volunteers to support homeowner identified work orders for mucking, gutting, and debris removal.
Programs currently on the ground include:
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Southwest Conservation Corps
7 members have deployed to support volunteer leadership, debris removal, mucking and gutting with The Fuller Center for Housing in Atlantic county under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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Texas Conservation Corps at American YouthWorks
7 members have been deployed to support the Hurricane Sandy Resource Center in Ocean county with volunteer leadership, mucking, gutting and debris removal under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
16 members have been deployed to support the Hurricane Sandy Resource Center in Ocean county with volunteer leadership, mucking, gutting and debris removal under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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Utah Conservation Corps
4 members have been deployed to support the Hurricane Sandy Resource Center in Ocean county with volunteer leadership, mucking, gutting and debris removal under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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Atlantic Region AmeriCorps NCCC
8 members have been deployed to support Bergen County VOAD with mucking, gutting, and debris removal under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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St. Bernard Project
8 members have been deployed to Monmouth county to provide mucking, gutting and debris removal services under FEMA Mission Assignment.
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AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps
106 members have been deployed to support FEMA operations in the state due to Hurricane Sandy.
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CNCS Disaster Cadre
1 CNCS staff member is deployed to support FEMA Mission Assignment deployed program throughout the state of New Jersey.
Additional support in NJ has also been received from the following programs:
- AmeriCorps VISTA
- AmeriCorps New Jersey State programs
- AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
- Minnesota and Iowa Conservation Corps
- Southwest Conservation Corps
- AmeriCorps St. Louis
- Great Oak Charter School AmeriCorps
- American Red Cross of Greater Columbus
- AmeriCorps Together We Prepare
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Washington Service Corps
- College of New Jersey AmeriCorps VISTA Program
- New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Violence AmeriCorps
- American Red Cross Preparedness and Response Corps deployed to NY, NJ, and PA
New York
126 national service members are supporting response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Sandy in New York. Overall, more than 2,123 national service members in New York have responded to support disaster response and recovery operations.
Programs currently on the ground include:
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AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps
126 members have been deployed to New York to support FEMA response operations
Additional support in NY has been received from the following programs:
- American Red Cross of Greater Columbus
- RSVP of Westchester
- Massachusetts Service Alliance, Barnstable County AmeriCorps
- Washington Service Corps
- AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
- Community Service Society NYC RSVP
- Service Society AmeriCorps VISTA
- Habitat for Humanity
- AmeriCorps VISTA
- YouthBuild
- and many more…
Pennsylvania
Programs currently on the ground include:
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AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps
8 members have been deployed to New York to support FEMA operations
Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, and West Virginia
More than 624 national service members from the following programs have support disaster response and recovery operations since the landfall of Hurricane Sandy:
- Massachusetts Service Alliance
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AmeriCorps VISTA
- Eastbay Community Action AmeriCorps
- AmeriCorps Together We Prepare
- Council of Southern Mountain RSVP
- West Virginia’s Promise AmeriCorps VISTA
- Washington Service Corps
- American Red Cross of Greater Columbus
- Teach for America
- RSVP
- Waterbury AmeriCorps
- Northwestern Connecticut Area Health Education AmeriCorps
- Health Service Corps
- Public Allies
- United Way of Southeastern Connecticut AmeriCorps
- Bridgeport Foster Grandparent
- AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
How to Volunteer or Donate to Hurricane Sandy Response Efforts
CNCS regularly updates volunteer information at the online hub for national service response to Hurricane Sandy: http://www.nationalservice.go/sandy OR check into one of the organizations currently accepting volunteers:
New York: New York Cares
New Jersey: Jersey Cares - Anyone who wants to volunteer in NJ can call 1-800-JERSEY7.
American Red Cross Disaster Relief - Become an American Red Cross Spontaneous Volunteer by contacting Leslie R. Fletcher, Director of Volunteer Administration, at leslie.fletcher@redcross.org or (215) 405-8558 or (267) 246-4521.
RESOURCES
New Disaster Events
For information on new disaster events, please visit FEMA’s daily situation report.
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 can be reached at DSU@cns.gov and is staffed by:
Kelly DeGraff, Disaster Services Senior Advisor
Katrina French, Disaster Services Program Officer
Jen Prall, Disaster Services Program Officer
Jason Scott, Disaster Services Program Officer
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