Washington, DC, Sept. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When disaster strikes, communities need immediate help. For many years, AmeriCorps has provided services in the wake of disasters, often the first to arrive and the last to leave. In many places, state and territorial service commissions take the lead on deploying and organizing AmeriCorps members and local volunteers in communities impacted by disasters, both natural and person-made.
State and territorial service commissions partner with local and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and others to leverage the full power of AmeriCorps programs and members, as well as community volunteers, to support preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation for disasters of all kinds, including floods, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, public health emergencies, winter weather, heat waves, and more.
A new publication from America’s Service Commissions (ASC) — entitled State Service Commissions and Disaster Services — aims to show the power of service commissions to support communities facing disasters. Released today during National Preparedness Month, the publication includes 13 case studies of disaster response that leveraged AmeriCorps and/or service commission resources, including well-known, historically significant examples as well as more recent examples, many of which didn’t make national headlines. Featured states include California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Texas, and West Virginia.
“In many states and territories, service commissions play an incredibly important role in disaster preparation and response,” said ASC CEO Kaira Esgate. “ASC is thrilled to release this publication and showcase the amazing and life-saving work service commissions and AmeriCorps programs perform in communities across the country during times of disaster.”
While aimed at state and local elected officials, this publication is for anyone eager to learn how state and territorial service commissions can be involved in disaster preparation and response.
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About America’s Service Commissions
America’s Service Commissions (ASC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing and promoting the 52 state service commissions across the United States and territories with the mission to lead and elevate the state service network. State service commissions are governor-appointed public agencies or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,000 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering more than 75 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs.
