Conservation Corps from The Corps Network’s Membership Complete Deployment to Iowa in Response to Historic Flooding
Member organizations from across the country sent Corpsmembers to Iowa. Corpsmembers participated in a range of clean-up, assessment, and volunteer-management activities.
WASHINGTON, DC – In response to Winter Storm Ulmer, several organizations from The Corps Network’s membership collectively deployed over 100 AmeriCorps members to Iowa as part of the AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team (A-DRT) program. These organizations include Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI), Volunteer Iowa, AmeriCorps-National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), California Conservation Corps (CCC), Texas Conservation Corps (TXCC), Utah Conservation Corps (UCC), and Southwest Conservation Corps (SWCC).
Winter Storm Ulmer impacted the central part of the country when it changed from a winter storm to a bomb cyclone on March 13, bringing blizzards, rain, and high winds to the midwestern states. This storm overfilled many rivers, causing historic flooding in Iowa and surrounding states.
Between April and August 2019, young adult Corpsmembers from the above-mentioned programs engaged in a range of response and recovery activities, including: mucking and gutting water-damaged structures; conducting disaster assessments; and collecting, sorting, and distributing donations.
In response to the need for federal assistance in Iowa, Volunteer Iowa and Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa deployed immediately to set up a Volunteer Reception Center. Serving as the headquarters for this operation, this location was used to welcome new volunteers and track and manage all volunteers who deployed. In April, AmeriCorps NCCC and California Conservation Corps deployed to aid in the recovery efforts and, in the following months, Texas Conservation Corps, Utah Conservation Corps, and Southwest Conservation Corps deployed to aid in the ongoing efforts.
Together, AmeriCorps members mucked and gutted 93 homes, completed damage assessments on 134 homes, and cleared 2,927 cubic yards of debris. In addition to field work, these volunteers collected and/or distributed 874,061 pounds of donated goods and sorted 420,332 pounds of donations. They also registered and supervised 632 volunteers and assisted 680 survivors of this storm.
A-DRT deployments are managed by the Disaster Services Unit of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). AmeriCorps NCCC and AmeriCorps grantees make up the A-DRT program. A-DRTs engage in activities and trainings year-round and are a nationally deployable resource. Nearly all of the 18 AmeriCorps programs that comprise the A-DRT program are members of The Corps Network. While Corpsmembers in these programs generally spend the majority of their service term engaged in conservation-related projects, they are ready to deploy to natural and man-made disasters within days of an incident. A-DRT crews serve alongside local, state and federal disaster emergency management agencies.
To date, 130 AmeriCorps-Disaster Response Team members and staff have responded to Winter Storm Ulmer, serving over 25,000 total hours.
About The Corps Network
The Corps Network, the national association of Service and Conservation Corps, provides leadership and support to over 130 Corps across the United States. Through advocacy, and providing Corps access to funding opportunities and expert guidance, The Corps Network annually enables more than 25,000 Corpsmembers to strengthen communities, improve the environment and transform their lives through service. To learn more about The Corps Network, please visit www.corpsnetwork.org.
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