Habitat for Humanity celebrates the impact of AmeriCorps members during AmeriCorps Week
ATLANTA (March 9, 2012) – Habitat for Humanity will join an effort across the U.S. next week to honor the service and commitment AmeriCorps members and alumni provide to communities.
AmeriCorps Week, which will be held from Mar. 10-18, provides an outlet to communicate the impact AmeriCorps members and alumni have on communities nationwide. The theme for this year’s event is “AmeriCorps Works.”
“The week is about celebrating the impact AmeriCorps members make every day in communities throughout America, and we want to thank them for their service and dedication,” said Peter Rumsey, director of National Service for Habitat for Humanity International. “The AmeriCorps program helps us serve more families, mobilize volunteers and revitalize communities. For AmeriCorps members, the program provides the opportunity to gain experience while serving their community, nation and neighbors.”
AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service each year.
Habitat for Humanity has used more than 7,000 AmeriCorps members to help serve more than 15,000 families since partnering with CNCS in 1994. Local Habitat affiliates also partner with other AmeriCorps and service programs, such as the National Civilian Community Corps or Senior Corps to help meet local needs.
Habitat for Humanity currently has a network of more than 550 Habitat AmeriCorps members serving nationwide. In 2011, 700 Habitat AmeriCorps members helped serve 3,000 families in more than 200 communities across 39 states. They contributed more than 1.2 million hours of service, mobilized more than 250,000 volunteers to build, rehabilitate or repair homes and raised nearly 5 million for local house building and community development efforts.
For more information about AmeriCorps Week, visit habitat.org.
About the Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps Partnership
Since partnering with the Corporation for National and Community Service in 1994, more than 7,000 AmeriCorps members have served with Habitat for Humanity. These individuals have served more than 15,000 U.S. families, contributed more than 12 million hours of service, raised tens of millions of dollars in cash and in-kind resources and mobilized more than 2.5 million volunteers. For more information or to learn how to get involved, please visit habitat.org/americorps or americorps.gov.
About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the Social Innovation Fund, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.