Hundreds of Habitat AmeriCorps members kick off year of service during annual leadership conference
ATLANTA (Oct. 21, 2014) – AmeriCorps members serving with Habitat for Humanity will kick off their year of service this week in Talladega, Alabama, during Habitat for Humanity International’s seventh annual National Service Leadership Conference.
The three-day conference, taking place Oct. 21-24, will provide nearly 400 Habitat AmeriCorps members the opportunity to learn from housing and service experts during special workshops, team-building activities and facilitated discussions, giving them the knowledge they need to help serve in more than 110 communities in the U.S.
“For the last 20 years, AmeriCorps members who have partnered with Habitat have enabled us to serve more families and transform communities,” said Peter Rumsey, Habitat for Humanity International’s director of national service. “Their continued support and commitment to furthering Habitat’s mission is incredible, and we look forward to another year of helping our partner families achieve the dream of homeownership with the help of their efforts.”
During the conference, AmeriCorps members will also participate in the third annual Service Project, held in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Talladega County and Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center. AmeriCorps members will work with community leaders and volunteers to paint, repair and landscape three area homes.
This year’s conference will also recognize and celebrate the 20th anniversary of Habitat’s partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees the AmeriCorps program. Habitat for Humanity was one of the first organizations to partner with AmeriCorps, inducting 122 members in its inaugural class. Since then, more than 8,000 individuals have served as AmeriCorps members with Habitat for Humanity, helping more than 20,000 families in need of affordable housing, contributing more than 13 million hours of service, raising tens of millions of dollars in cash and in-kind resources and engaging more than 3.1 million volunteers.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 4 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and supports a variety of funding models that enable families with limited resources to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer visit habitat.org.
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 each year through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and other programs; improves communities through the Social Innovation Fund; and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit nationalservice.gov.