One month ago, a deadly F5 tornado ripped through Joplin, MO. This fierce tornado was the 7^th most deadly in U.S. history and the deadliest since modern record keeping began in 1953.

Yet, among all of the loss, destruction, and tragedy, we've seen Americans at their greatest, shining examples of the goodness that exists in the human spirit.

We are so proud of all the National Service members that responded in full force – some of them within hours – and of all the volunteers that traveled across the country and around the globe to help.

Numbers Speak Volumes

A disaster of this magnitude is difficult to comprehend, and so is the response. One-hundred and eighty National Service members have mobilized 32,469 volunteers through the Volunteer Reception Center, staffed and managed by the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team. They've welcomed more than 1,100 volunteer groups and together, along with teams from 10 different AmeriCorps programs, Joplin has received more than 190,027 hours of volunteer service.

Count On Us

Joplin isn't the only community recently affected by a natural disaster, and it's not the only place you'll find National Service members and volunteers. Across the country, they are hard at work fighting fires, preparing for floods, responding to tornadoes, and helping to rebuild communities. Wherever we are, you can count on us.

Are you using social media? Like Serve.Gov on Facebook and follow @ServeDotGov on Twitter. We're using the #CountOnUs hashtag to talk about the volunteer response to disasters. Please join us in this important and inspirational conversation.

Want to read more? Check out some of the Joplin blog posts from the past month:

• Lost and Found in Joplin: A Reunion Tail
• Thankful Thursday: A Moment of Gratitude for Disaster Volunteers
• Joplin Volunteers: You Are Our Heroes
• The Road to New Orleans Ends in … Joplin?
• AmeriCorps Members: Making an Impact in Broken Communities
• AmeriCorps Members Working Night and Day to Help Joplin Recover
• Goodwill and Generosity Abound: How to Help Joplin and Other Tornado Affected Communities

Photo by Scott Julian, 2011.