Even though there are plenty of distractions around the holiday season, let's not forget the victims of Hurricane Sandy who are still reassembling their lives in the storm's aftermath. The Corporation for National and Community Service joins other federal and national agencies in the recovery effort with a commitment that's used by our Disaster Services Unit: “You can count on us to respond fast and stay last.”

By the end of November, nearly 1,300 national service participants had been deployed in response to Hurricane Sandy with approximately 1,020 serving in disaster-affected communities. These numbers include 605 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers, and 415 members of FEMA Corps, a unit of AmeriCorps NCCC.

Read on for highlights from some of the latest stories about the work of national service participants in the recovery effort. And to find ways to help storm's victims, visit the Hurricane Sandy Response portal.

New York Recovery: One Month Later
FEMA.gov (DC), November 30, 2012
In the one month since President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in New York for Hurricane Sandy, the federal government has contributed more than $1 billion to help New Yorkers, their communities, and the state with disaster-related needs, as well as assigning equipment and supplies, and deploying thousands of people to assist in the response and recovery from the storm.

OHS Grad Helps NY Rebuild After Sandy
Onalaska Holmen Courier-Life (Wisconsin), Nov. 29, 2012
Katy Cobb, a 2008 graduate of Onalaska High School, has been in New York since early November volunteering with FEMA Corps, a recently developed partnership between the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

“FEMA Corps is a really good way to experience community service on a large scale,” Cobb said. “I've learned that every little thing counts. You could only talk to five people a day, but every one of them is going to be affected by you.”

Young FEMA Corps Volunteers Appreciated by Sandy Victims
Atlantic City Press (New Jersey), Nov. 28, 2012
When FEMA arrived after Hurricane Sandy, the workers included young volunteers from a new FEMA Corps program started in March as part of a partnership between FEMA and the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program. … They have been going door-to-door, handing out information on FEMA services in English and Spanish. While they don't handle claims themselves, (the FEMA Corps members) inform residents of services that are available and link them to FEMA disaster centers.

“We are educating people about the process, what they need to do,” said Alex Bradt, 18, of Oxford, CT.

“It's so much more personal to have have someone come to you, than having to go to a center,” added Emily Roldan, 18, of Francisville, LA.

Club Red, Disaster Relief Group, Offers Assistance to Victims of Sandy
Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania), Nov. 28, 2012
Elizabethtown College senior Sarah Creme formed Club Red under the guidance of the American Red Cross at the college during the spring semester. Crème, an AmeriCorps scholar, had to pick a primary organization as her focus for volunteering and chose the American Red Cross, where she had an internship in the summer of 2011. Although its efforts are mostly focused in the Lebanon, PA, area, Club Red is also collecting travel-size hygiene items for comfort kits for people affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy.

AmeriCorps: Getting Things Done
American Red Cross (National), Nov. 28, 2012
“Brooklyn is my home,” said AmeriCorps volunteer Rachel Gordon. “It's good to be helping out.” Gordon is one of more than 1,000 AmeriCorps members working with the Red Cross get food and supplies to the thousands of families and individuals those affected by Hurricane Sandy across many states.

Last week, I led a delegation to New York and New Jersey to visit sites providing disaster assistance to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Throughout the day, we were joined by local elected officials who are working hard to meet the needs of their communities. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, New Jersey Lt. Gov. and Secretary of State Kim Guadagno, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), and New York City Councilman Brad Lander each joined us for a portion of the day.
 

Many members of the national service family are hard at work in areas stricken by Hurricane Sandy, providing services that keep the recovery moving forward. Check out some scenes from the work we captured recently in New York and New Jersey.
 

One of the things we love about our AmeriCorps Alums is that they are ready to answer the call when they hear of situations like those created by Hurricane Sandy. “Getting things done” is more than a slogan for our national service family – they are also words to live by. So let's talk about how you can help.
 

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) today announced that approximately 936 national service members have been deployed to seven states affected by Hurricane Sandy, with 855 additional individuals on standby for assignments in the hardest-hit areas.
 

When it comes to massive storms like Hurricane Sandy, many dangers remain long after the weather event has dissipated. Some areas far from the front lines of the devastation won’t make headlines but will continue to feel the storm’s effects for some time to come.
 

When I served on Disaster Response assignment with AmeriCorps NCCC in 1998, I had no idea that I was starting on the Emergency Management career path. That one month on assignment in the San Francisco area was an amazing experience. Helping with their flood response in the area of logistics taught me about all of the coordination that is needed in a disaster response.
 

Earthquakes, unlike other natural disasters, strike suddenly and don’t provide advanced warning time to prepare for their arrival. Knowing what to do if a quake happens can greatly reduce your risk of injury or death.
 

I am truly humbled and honored to receive recognition as a Champion of Change. My first lessons regarding the importance of service to both the nation and local communities came observing my parents.
 

Hurricane Katrina taught us a difficult lesson about the damage, death, and destruction a massive storm can cause. If there’s one thing we should take from that experience it is that these weather systems are not something to underestimate; you have to be prepared for the worst – especially if you live in storm-prone areas.