AmeriCorps NCCC Provides Vital Services to Mississippi Communities After Deadly Severe Weather

Mantachie, MS, May 05, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Approximately 103 national service members have deployed or are pending deployment to Arkansas, Mississippi and Kansas in response to Monday’s deadly severe weather outbreak.

Some 34 AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members, based at the AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region Campus in Vicksburg, are deploying to three locations in Mississippi to provide assistance: Tupelo in Lee County, Mantachie in Itawamba County and Louisville in Winston County.

NCCC members in Tupelo and Mantachie will help to run a 1,000-person volunteer debris cleanup event sponsored by the United Way of Northeast Mississippi and many other agencies in Tupelo.

“Our NCCC members are eager to work day and night to help Mississippians at their time of greatest need,” said Rich Smith, Deputy Region Director for Programming at the Vicksburg campus. “We’re just a phone call away when disaster responders need additional hands.”

Three NCCC teams are serving on projects across the state:
· Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service – Mantachie, MS
The team of 13 will assist the Itawamba County Office of Emergency Management with operating a volunteer recovery center in Mantachie, MS and assist with coordinating a 1,000-person volunteer debris cleanup event.

· NECHAMA Jewish Response to Disaster – Tupelo, MS
The team of 13 will serve in Tupelo, helping to clear debris from Monday’s tornadoes and coordinate unaffiliated volunteers.

· FEMA – Louisville, MS
The team of eight, part of the NCCC FEMA Corps program, will work directly with disaster survivors throughout the county to ensure they have information about assistance available through FEMA and other community resources.

To schedule interviews or for more information, contact Kevin Jones, Community Relations Associate, at 769.203.1904 or kjones@cns.gov.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,200 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term, Corps Members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. Members mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The Southern Region campus in Vicksburg is one of five regional hubs in the United States and serves eleven states in the southeast part of the country. The other campuses are located in Denver, Colorado, Sacramento, California, Baltimore, Maryland and Vinton, Iowa.

In exchange for their service, Corps Members receive $5,645 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.NationalService.gov