This post originally appeared on the Community HealthCorps blog on November 8, 2012. The Community HealthCorps is a national AmeriCorps program that promotes health care for America's underserved, while developing tomorrow's health care workforce.

Community HealthCorps Navigators serving through the Institute for Family Health (IFH) have been involved in Hurricane Sandy Relief in a variety of areas in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Jersey City.

They have cleaned out basements in New Jersey of homes flooded by the hurricane and cleaned the Hudson River Parkand Prospect Park of debris, mud, and fallen branches. A Navigator assisted overburdened animal shelters by walking dogs and cleaning cages, and another organized clothing donations in Howard Beach and Ozone Park that collected 20 bags of clothing for residents of Far Rockaway.

To the right is a photo of three Navigators at Hudson River Park: Alum Natasha Miller, Deirdre Horvath, and Lianne Salcido. Lianne said, “Dede, Natasha, and I volunteered with the Department of Parks and Rec down at Hudson River Park today. We worked with other volunteers to clean up debris that were left in the park after it had been submerged under four feet of water. We also washed the mud away. The people from parks and rec were really impressed because they were only expecting 10 people, but over 100 volunteers showed up.”

Two of our Navigators assisted with bringing food and water to residents trapped in high-rise apartment buildings in Chinatown and other areas without power. They went door-to-door checking on tenants to make sure there were no medical emergencies.

“The individuals were extremely thankful, as many have not been able to leave since they lost power and were in desperate need of supplies,” said Navigator Jourdan Carboy.

Miriam Wood is the Community HealthCorps Program Coordinator at the Institute for Family Health.

After defending our country in locations all around the world, many veterans find more battles await them when they return home. A new initiative was announced today to support and ease the reintegration of returning service members, veterans, and their families as they search for jobs and support services.
 

It seems improbable in a country where 90 million of its citizens are battling obesity that 49 million are also having food security issues, however, that’s the reality in the United States today. And more than 16 million of our most-vulnerable residents -- America’s children --are paying the price.
 

The opportunity for a diverse group of college kids to join together and work toward a single purpose is something that should not be taken for granted. Imagine a world in which this generation -- from both religious and nonreligious backgrounds -- comes together to serve their communities.
 

Communities have a long history of coming together to revitalize and transform their areas. From the settlement houses of the late 19th century to the 1960s War on Poverty, communities have been collaborating for centuries to improve their surroundings.
 

Hispanic leaders in Colorado, like so many in the United States, are committed to addressing challenges and improving opportunities for their community. They want to work with the Federal government to understand policies, access information, leverage resources, and build collaboration that will help provide solutions to pressing concerns. In Denver, I saw this commitment first hand.