An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team arrived in Portland on March 19 to spend seven weeks with Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East, helping local affordable housing efforts. This marks the fourteenth year an AmeriCorps NCCC team has included Habitat on their tour of service.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,200 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term Corps Members, all 18 to 24 years old, work on teams of eight to twelve completing projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and consecration, energy conservation and urban and rural development. Members work on a series of different projects, typically lasting six to eight weeks each, to mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-incomes housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans and address countless other local needs.
The team of ten AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers work eight-hour days, five days a week through March 21, to May 10. During their stay members will help lay sod, plant trees and shrubs, construct housing frames, prepare the construction site and will be given the opportunities to act as site supervisors to improve their leadership skills.