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AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region Newsletter

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS 20A | ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT | TEAM REVEAL | DAY OF SERVICE

NCCC PAST & PRESENT

RESPOND TO DISASTER.

ISSUE TWO

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IN THIS ISSUE:

NEW ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY

CLASS 20A SEND OFF

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

TEAM REVEAL

STORIES FROM DISASTER

CHOOSE FEMA CORPS

STORIES FROM DISASTER

DAY OF SERVICE

FROM THE FIELD

NOW HIRING

MEMBER DEVELOPMENT

STAY CONNECTED

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4

5

6-7

8-9

10-12

13

15, 18-19

16-17

20

21

22-23

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TRADITIONAL MEMBER STATEMENT:

I’m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an

AmeriCorps Program. N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and

spend 10 months getting things done for America while de-

veloping their own leadership. We serve on teams to help

communities prepare for and respond to disasters, build

homes, and help the environment.

To learn more or apply, visit NATIONALSERVICE.GOV/NCCC

or call 1.800.942.2677

FEMA CORPS MEMBER STATEMENT:

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for Nation-

al and Community Service (CNCS) have launched an innova-

tive partnership to establish a FEMA-devoted unit of 1,600

service corps members within AmeriCorps National Civilian

Community Corps (NCCC) solely devoted to disaster prepar-

edness, response, and recovery.

SOUTHERN REGION COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE:

Erica E. Wilson, Community Relations Specialist (CRS)

Phone: 601.630.4048 ● Email: ewilson@cns.gov

Kevin Jones, Community Relations Associate (CRA)

Phone: 769.203.1904 ● Email: kjones@cns.gov

Matthew Payne, Community Relations Support Team Leader

(CRSTL)

Phone: 769.203.1923 ● Email: deltacrsunit@gmail.com

Southern Heat is a monthly newsletter edited and designed

by Matthew Payne, CRSTL

FRONT & BACK PHOTO:

Front: AmeriCorps Alum Alan Richardson (class 19 North Cen-

tral Campus) and currently serving Southern Region Corps

member Jesse Gottlob of River 5 while responding to torna-

does in Tupelo, MS.

Back: CM Cameron Tingkang of Delta 1 picking debris from

field.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST NCCC & FEMA CORPS DEPLOYMENT REPORT.

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In what’s believed to be the first and

most far-reaching offer of its

kind, Concordia University, St. Paul in

Minnesota has announced today that

it will extend a $5,000 scholarship to

any AmeriCorps alumni accepted into any of their un-

dergraduate or graduate programs. This benefit for

domestic service is the broadest example yet of how

the higher education community is competing over

talented young people who serve in AmeriCorps, and

the critical 21st century skills in teamwork, project

management, facilitation, and communication that are

developed in their service year. Over 120 Title I

schools currently provide some benefit to domestic

national service alumni, whether through an applica-

tion waiver, scholarship, or matching grant to individu-

als who complete an AmeriCorps term of service.

AmeriCorps Alums, the national nonprofit network for

the nearly one million Americans who have served do-

mestically since 1994, notes that this accelerating

trend is especially exciting in light of the upcoming

20th anniversary of AmeriCorps in September.

Ben Duda, Co-Executive Director of AmeriCorps Al-

ums, remarked, “This is a wonderful endorsement of

the talent that chooses to serve our country, and then

has incredible potential to lead in our communi-

ties. We’re very thankful that our partners at Concor-

dia University, St. Paul are investing in college comple-

tion and degree advancement, so that alumni of

AmeriCorps can continue to evolve into the leaders

our country needs right now.”

“Our 2014 national survey unveiled that 3 in 4 alums

want a career that impacts the world, but only two in

Concordia University, St. Paul Offers a

$5,000 Scholarship for AmeriCorps Alumni

three feel well-equipped with professional resources to

transition after AmeriCorps. Partnerships with schools

like Concordia University, St. Paul help Alums take the

next step in their professional journey.” AmeriCorps

Alums published a May 2014 report entitled Untapped

Potential which outlined the professional development

needs and career aspirations that the national service

alumni network possess. The report also found that

alumni see their AmeriCorps service as a way to serve

their country, and that AmeriCorps was their first

chance to engage with Americans from different back-

grounds. Expanding institutional partnerships and cre-

ating service to career pipelines is a significant goal for

AmeriCorps Alums.

“As an institution dedicated to service-minded stu-

dents, Concordia University, St. Paul highly values

AmeriCorps members for their interest in service and

the professional skill development and work experi-

ence that they gained through AmeriCorps and bring

to our university,” states Kim Craig, Director of Enroll-

ment Management at Concordia University, St. Paul.

“We are very excited to offer AmeriCorps Alums a

$5,000 scholarship which can be used on any bache-

lor’s or master’s level program.” Concordia University,

St. Paul has identified AmeriCorps national service as a

key talent pipeline, in part because of the many high

impact nonprofits in Minneapolis and St. Paul that

graduate AmeriCorps members annually from pro-

grams like Minnesota Reading Corps, Serve Minnesota

and College Possible.

LEARN MORE AT AMERICORPSALUMS.ORG OR

VISIT WWW.CSP.EDU

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http://youtu.be/Hm-zHj8C_b8

TEAM LEADER OF THE YEAR,

ERIN TROEDSON

CLASS XX

OPS SAYS GOODBYE TO

THEIR STL, DARIN

CHECK OUT THEIR SLIDESHOW

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WHY DID YOU JOIN NCCC?

I joined AmeriCorps NCCC for

several reasons—first, I wanted

to serve with a team of like

minded people, I wanted to

travel and meet new people

and learn new cultures, I wanted to work with differ-

ence nonprofit organizations, and I wanted to learn

new skills.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF NCCC?

Unexpectedly, serving with someone on my team

that became my “teammate for life.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE SERVING IN NCCC?

It was like an extended version of an alternative

spring break trip, which is how I found out about

NCCC, by serving with two teams in Anniston, AL on

the Jimmy Carter Project with Habitat for Humanity

and inspired me to join the service movement.

9 years later, an Alum reflects. WITH JARRAD PLANTE, returning member of the Southern Region Alumni Leadership Council.

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WHAT SKILLS DID YOU GAIN AS AN NCCC MEMBER?

I learned how to tile floor, use (Cindy) loppers during

beautification projects, facia, vinyl siding, traditional

shingles and metal roofing, F&J channels, and hurri-

cane straps with Habitat for Humanity-helping to keep

the houses together during Hurricane Katria

ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR CURRENT MEMBERS?

Be open to everything that you participate in and

learn from, be flexible, embrace everything and every-

one, get ready for the best year of your life...to date.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW IN LIFE AND HOW DID AMERICORPS

AFFECT YOUR LIFE PATH?

I am working on a doctorate (EdD) in Educational

Leadership and Policy Studies for Higher Education. I

was able to utilize my Ed award to pay the rest of my

Master's degree, CNP, and transition two classes from

the CNP into my doctoral coursework.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

I believe that ALL Americans should serve their coun-

try and pay it forward for the next generation.

WHAT WAS YOUR MOST INTERESTING PROJECT? WHAT

MADE IT INTERESTING?

The most interesting project was working with Fish

and Wildlife on removing fencing around some

property that the agency just purchased in the lower

Florida Keys. Removing the fence granted access to

rare fresh water that Key Deer need to survive.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF YOUR

SERVICE YEAR? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT CHAL-

LENGE?

The most challenging project was working with the

Nature Conservancy to do trail work at Radnar Lake

in Nashville, TN. We mulched and, in some spots,

laid down stone dust for over 1 mile of trail in five

weeks...talk about exhausting!

CAN YOU TELL US A STORY IN WHICH YOU LEARNED

SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THROUGH SERVICE?

I learned that despite it being hard, I could actually

live away from friends and family that I grew up.

That came in handy when I moved to Orlando, FL

from Massachusetts only 2.5 years ago.

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TEAM MEETS FOR THE FIRST TIME

JENNIFER LIEB, ABOUT TO GREET HER NEW TEAM

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2

0

1

4

TL KENDALL UYEHARA

TL KEVIN TURNER

TL KYLE CLAYTON MEETS HIS NEW TEAM

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In the late Spring of 2014, a string of deadly tornadoes touched down and wrought hav-

oc on Tupelo, Mississippi and surrounding rural communities. Soon after, Southern Re-

gion NCCC & FEMA Corps teams were deployed to respond in multiple capacities not

limited to debris removal, disaster survivor assistance, chainsaw clean-up, home demoli-

tion, and more supporting disaster relief organizations such as NECHAMA: Jewish Re-

sponse to Disaster, All Hands Volunteers and FEMA: The Federal Emergency Manage-

ment Agency. NCCC Teams worked with many volunteers and community leaders, but

perhaps most remarkable was the presence of NCCC alumni, working side by side with

current members fulfilling their pledge to carry their commitment to service “this year

and beyond.” The following are stories and reflections from currently serving Corps

members and Team Leaders as well as NCCC alumni who responded to Mississippi’s lat-

est disaster.

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T hree weeks ago, our FEMA Corps

team got a call that we were needed in

Mississippi to help after an EF-3 tornado

had ripped through the state. Four hours

later, our team was loaded (nice and

tight) in our van and on the road. And

two days of driving and training later, we

arrived in Tupelo to begin conducting

outreach to the survivors of the tornado

on behalf of FEMA.

Our team worked three weeks straight

but we wouldn’t have had it any other

way. We went door to door to reach sur-

vivors and we found ourselves sweaty,

stinky, sleepy, grumpy, and a mix of all

three, but at the end of every single day

it’s been a good day because we know

that each of us has helped at least one

person start rebuilding their life after the

tornado.

Tupelo has been a town that truly brings

to life the truth about Southern Hospital-

ity. Everyone walking/driving/biking

waves to each other and asks how you

are that day. Everyone we have come

into contact with has been very welcom-

ing to our team and beyond grateful for

the work we’ve done. Community mem-

bers provided us with meals, bought us

snacks in line at the drug store, invited

us to picnics/BBQs, given us water on

scorching hot days, and given us enough

‘thank yous’ to last us a lifetime. And

the residents of Tupelo have shown an

outpouring of love to their neighbors

and have been willing to help with any

needs they may have. SOUTHERN HOS-

PITALITY IS REAL Y’ALL.

Continued on Page 12 >>>

“It was like I was back in NCCC seeing the team work, go-

ing through ups and downs, and of course the inside jokes.

It was interesting to see what it was like on the “other side

of the fence” All in all, I was so happy to work with NCCC

again.”

-Alan Richardson

Alumni, Class 19, North Central Region

CM Mark O’Brien

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D uring the first two weeks of round 2, Delta 4

was hard at work in Itawamba County Mississippi

helping the community recover from the devastat-

ing tornados that hit on April 28th 2014. This tor-

nado destroyed homes and farms that are a huge

source of revenue for community members. Our

team worked alongside River 6 and volunteers

with All Hands and the Jewish disaster response

team NECHAMA, to help with cleanup. We cer-

tainly got things done for America. From demolish-

ing unsound structures to clearing debris and fall-

en trees from properties. This was the first time

the majority of our team had done disaster relief

and no one was sure what to expect. We didn't

know we would be welcomed with so much grati-

tude and hospitality. The homeowners worked

alongside us everyday and then proceeded to

cook the volunteers massive amounts of the best

southern cooking you can imagine. They were so

thankful for the help and we were so thankful to be

there to help. We learned a lot about the impacts of

tornadoes, the disaster relief process as a whole, and

the impact we can have when people of diverse

backgrounds work together to help these communi-

ties. Even the less glamorous projects like removing

debris from wheat fields in the blazing sun are nec-

essary because if a family cannot harvest their crops,

they cannot make enough money to feed their fami-

lies, let alone rebuild after a disaster. It's good to

know why we do this work so we can understand the

importance of it. Although the work has been hard

at times, we are all so thankful to be here and to be

able to help these gracious communities. This disas-

ter was a tragedy but we really enjoyed our time

working, learning, and getting to know each remark-

able family. It was truly a life changing experience

that has shaped our AmeriCorps experience in a

positive way.

Frankie Stroud Delta 4

The heart of what we’ve been accomplishing here is plain and simple. We’re here for the survivors – to make sure

they’re safe, to ensure they have safe housing, medical attention, food, clothing, and any other unmet needs they

may have, and finally to get them registered with FEMA for any additional assistance they may require. We’re here to

ensure that the survivor gets the help they need to rebuild their life after this tornado. We’re here to change their

lives by giving them strength, advice, and support….but the people of Tupelo are so strong and grateful that it feels

like we are the ones whose lives have changed from this experience and we should be the grateful ones.

Bridget Whittredge Coast 5

TL Sara Pearson CM Jay Brown

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T here is nothing like getting called into an office

and being told “you’re being deployed to lead a team

of 13, responding to tornado damage North of here.

You need to be on the road in 3 hours.” I got that as-

signment on my 22nd birthday. I wasn’t so much wor-

ried about my cancelled dinner reservations as much as

I was about suddenly being responsible for the lives of

13 other people, after all, I had never lead a team be-

fore. This was showtime, and although I had the train-

ing, I was nervous. In the end, I had no reason to be.

The following 18 days, while physically and emotionally

exhausting, ended up holding some of the most treas-

ured and formative experiences of my life. Hours upon

hours of chain sawing in the southern heat or bagging

up what seemed to be endless amounts of itchy pink

home insulation had a funny way of not being a bother

when you were able to meet the family whose lives you

were helping piece back together. Seeing the impact

my Corps members and I left on that rural community

filled me with pride, but perhaps most importantly,

witnessing the courage and gratitude of those whom

we were serving restored my faith in humanity.”

B eing a FEMA Corps alum, I have worked on

multiple disasters including Superstorm Sandy

and the Colorado Floods. This was my first expe-

rience working on tornado relief and the first

time I had been able to help out in a more hands

on environment. I had a very positive experience

that provided me with many memories. One

memory that sticks out to me is when I was clear-

ing debris from a woman’s yard after her trailer

was demolished. While sorting through her be-

longings I found things such as her husband’s

draft card from the Vietnam War and pictures of

her children. This made me realize that each item

is more than just debris. We were picking up val-

uable pieces of memories that are truly meaning-

ful to survivors. It’s easy to look at demolished

homes on the news and then go back to your

normal life without giving these people a second

thought, but when you are physically helping sur-

vivors piece their lives back together one

memory at a time, it makes the pain and devasta-

tion real. Even though my team and I were work-

ing 6 to 7 days a week, it did not feel like work. I

am passionate about this work because there is

so much beauty in watching communities come

together for the greater good of each person

regardless of their backgrounds or even national-

ities. It is our duty as humans to help each other

when we are most vulnerable. The community in

Itawamba County Mississippi consists of the most

gracious and generous people I have ever met. I

also had the pleasure to meet a local family who I

still keep in contact with today that has made an

everlasting impression on my heart. After this

powerful experience, Mississippi will always be a

special place for me.

Sara Pearson Delta 4

Matt Payne River Composite Team Leader

TL Matt Payne

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Planning a day of service. are doing so much to revitalize and sup-

port their communities; orchestrating this

service day has allowed me the oppor-

tunity to connect more personally with so

many of the individuals behind the organ-

izations. But most importantly, I wanted

to make this a special day for the teams.

They are the heart of the program and

this is the first time that our new FEMA

Corps teams have to be their own unit,

and work with a sponsor, and get that

glimpse of what the rest of their term will

look like. So when choosing organiza-

tions, I made sure they were projects that

I wanted to work on.

I especially enjoyed being able to work

with the other Team Leaders and Corps

members, talking about what they like

about service and why they've chosen

AmeriCorps.

It's days like these that remind me why I

serve, and why AmeriCorps is so im-

portant for communities. Seeing the grat-

itude, the passion and the joy that comes

from service is what keeps me coming

back. And it's just as wonderful from the

behind the scenes as well.

A reflection from the event coordinator, Emily Baker.

As a Support Team Leader,

I don't get out in the field much. One

could say that I tend to live vicariously

through teams when they serve. Addi-

tionally, it's more challenging to get that

visual and instant gratification from the

work I do than from building a trail, paint-

ing a wall or assisting in a disaster. I enjoy

tackling new projects and putting energy

into what I'm passionate about. Having

been in Mississippi for nearly two years,

I'm familiar with many of the organiza-

tions in the area. I know there is great

need in the Delta, and all the non-profits

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Members reflect...

Danna Kasom A 7 AM drive to Jackson, Mississip-

pi to help refurbish an old grave-

yard sounds, upon first acknowl-

edgement, like some sort of pun-

ishment, but the experience

proved itself to be quite the con-

trary. Upon arriving at the site we

were greeted by three elderly vol-

unteer caretakers, whom without,

the task would have been impossi-

ble. The surprisingly spry 84-year-

old man, whose appearance and

jovial disposition was reminiscent

of present day Jimmy Carter, took

the three young men of the group

about the grounds to cut down

trees. His folksy epigrams on yard-

work and a life spent in Jackson

gave the work a lighthearted tone

that seemed to ease the transition

of the day. We were split into two

groups, one washing headstones

and the other tending to be over-

grown hedges. The senescent

grime, that could only pollute

such a place wherein the passing

of time is tangible, covered the

headstones, concealing names

and years long passed. In clean-

ing these tombstones one can

account for the illustrious history

of this state capital. The head of

restoration, a Ms. Cecile Ward-

law, has a family plot that holds

five generations, from her great-

great-grandfather to her brother,

adjacent to the final resting place

of the first African-American sec-

retary of state of Mississippi, John

D. Lynch. What can be ultimately

said about our trip to Greenwood

Cemetery is that it proved to be

pleasant, informative and provid-

ed genuine perspective on both

the past and contemporary living

Malik Shaw in Jackson, Mississippi.

For the All Corps service day we

traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to

volunteer at the Jackson Public

School District. We specifically

helped unpack, unload, set up,

and organize what became a

store full of supplies, donated

from local businesses and organi-

zations. Teachers will be able to

go to the store and get supplies

and incentives for themselves and

students for free. This was made

possible through Partners In Edu-

cation (PIE), which connects the

school with the community

through several programs. We

had a great time helping out and

making the store organized and

pop with excitement of the up-

coming school year!

Summit 4

Bayou 5

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W hile deployed on my team’s first round,

I experienced firsthand the devastation of a tor-

nado. With only a few days left in Tupelo, MS

working with the Natchez Trace Parkway an F-3

tornado touched down in west Tupelo wreaking

havoc in Tupelo, Itawamba and Louisville. The

following day Delta 7 was called to respond to

the disaster in Itawamba where we set up a dis-

aster response center where all donations, vol-

unteers and aide were to be coordinated from.

As part of a composite team we worked with All

Hands Volunteers assisting in response, work

orders for aide request, demos, debris removal,

collecting personal items and even paperwork.

If we were called to help we responded in any

way we could. The community we helped in

welcomed us in with open arms and considered

us family. They fed us all daily and even invited

us to their homes for bon fires. The experience I

gained in Itawamba County, MS is on that I will

never forget. It is a wonderful and strange feel-

ing to know if I ever return, I have friends, a

place to stay and a warm bed to sleep in. The

people of Itawamba have become more than

friends, they are family.

R iver Six has had a life changing two weeks

here in Itawamba County. We are all regretful

that this disaster affected such a beautiful com-

munity, but are thankful through and through

that we were given the opportunity to help re-

store it. The people of Itawamba have made us

feel at home and a part of this family and we will

be sad to leave them. Our team has grown par-

ticularly fond of one couple, Mike and Marty,

who we worked with at their home. We were

briefed with the rest of the All Hands Volunteers

and NECHAMA crew and were told the entirety

of the house needed to be demolished. We dis-

assembled the fixtures, cabinets, dry wall, brick

façade, windows and doors. The house became a

skeleton right before our eyes in the matter of

two days. Mike and Marty were two of the

strongest hardest working people I’ve ever met

and their gratitude for the work we put in ren-

dered us all speechless at the end of the day,

when Mike broke down in tears in what was his

kitchen and thanked us immensely before excus-

ing himself. Their determination to overcome this

“test” as they called it is what helped drive us all

to work harder for them and gave all the volun-

teers a reason to push harder to complete the

project. I will never forget Mike and Marty or the

looks on their face as they discussed plans on

how to improve their next home with their gen-

eral contractor that stopped by to see our pro-

gress. They looked at each other with hope, love

and eyes that could see the potential and the

good that could be once again. AmeriCorps

NCCC, All Hands and NECHAMA made that a

possibility.

Nichole Letizia River 6 Daniel Deitch Delta 7

TL Nichole Letizia

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“As an alumni, working with NCCC was a truly refreshing experi-

ence. It was awesome to see how hard everyone was working and

how great of an impression was left on the community. Getting to

work with 4 different teams, and seeing the dynamics of each

team was really so interesting. It was fun to compare them to the

experience that I had in class 19. All in all it's cool to see that no

matter which campus, which class, which team or which corps

member, we all share the common goal of getting things done for

America and truly making a difference in people's lives.”

-Nicolette Koerner

Alumni, Class 19, North Central Region

W orking on the disaster compo-

site team was a memory of a lifetime.

Seeing such a big impact the torna-

does made in those rural areas was

devastating. The work we put into the

cleaning homes gave me a feeling of

hope I never felt before. To know that

even though these people lost every-

thing they have we were able to make

it a possible to rebuild and restart their

lives in some way. I think that anyone

who has the opportunity to experience

disaster recovery should take the op-

portunity and won't regret it.

-Adrianna Howard

River 3

CM Jesse Gottlob CM Will Custus being fed by community member

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RIVER 1 | YOUTH INC | FLORIDA

RIVER 6 | DIGGING TRENCH | WV

FROM THE FIELD...

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MAKE SERVICE YOUR FULL-TIME JOB.

WE’RE HIRING. VISIT WWW.USAJOBS.GOV, KEYWORD NCCC.

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Non-traditional

Holy cow! I get the question, “Can I use my ed. award for something other than school?” a lot. You tricky

buggers-you know this money is solely supposed to go toward education. It HAS to go to a title IV institu-

tion. But, alas, let me help you out a bit if you have this question. There are a few things you can do with your

ed. award that aren’t the “traditional education” route. Here it goes…

Volunteer experiences around the world. The reason the ed. award

can be used for this is because it is through the University of Albany

which is a title IV institution. http://www.globalservicecorps.org/

Outdoor leadership programs like sailing & dog

sledding. http://www.outwardbound.org/

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Upcoming Professional & Career Development Virtual Events

Virtual Speed Networking

Virtual Grad School Fair #1

20th Annual Virtual Celebration

Virtual Grad School Fair #2

Thursday 8/28

6:00 PM to 7:15 PM

Eastern

Friday 9/5

12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Eastern

Friday 9/12

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Eastern

Tuesday 9/23

6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Eastern

Go to www.americorpsalums.org for more information.

Best Colleges Providing Free Tuition

1 Deep Springs College

2 Cooper Union

3 Curtis Institute of Music

4 College of the Ozarks

5 Berea College

6 Webb Institute

7 Macaulay Honors College at City University of

New York (CUNY)

8 Alice Lloyd College

9 Barclay College

More information:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-

for-college/articles/2013/09/18/colleges-that-claim-to-meet

-full-financial-need-2014

http://www.thebestschools.org/blog/2012/12/10/20-

colleges-providing-free-tuition/

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Follow NCCC & National Service on your favorite social media sites:

FACEBOOK.COM/AMERICORPSNCCCSOUTHERN

The lates t f rom the Southern Region:

Are you Interested in submitting an article or photos for the

next issue of Southern Heat? Email ideas, comments or con-

cerns to Matt Payne at: deltacrsunit@gmail.com.