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AmeriCorps NCCC Pledge:


I will get things done for America - to make our
people safer, smarter, and healthier.
I will bring Americans together to strengthen our
communities.
Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with
conflict, I will seek common ground.
Faced with adversity, I will persevere.
I will carry this commitment with me this year and
beyond.
I am an AmeriCorps member, and I will get things
done.

Campus Address AmeriCorps NCCC Mission Statement


2715 Confederate Avenue To strengthen communities and
Vicksburg, MS develop leaders through team based
39180 national and community service.
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Dedication and Acknowledgments


Thank you to
Mike Sullivan, Em Mickelson and the SBP team for giving us
the opportunity to create safe, sanitary and secure homes.
The Site Supervisors, Vaughn Dowell, Gabi Glueck, Danielle
Cross, and Denise Hickson for being patient and always
providing a fun atmosphere.
Laurie Legrand, we appreciate your hospitality and having you
housing us in such a cozy and nice home.

Corps Members Tanzya Jones-Tarpley, Molly Huhn, Jared Connolly, and


Hannah Mitchell with SC SBP AmeriCorps Program Manager Mike Sullivan.
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Table of Contents
AmeriCorps NCCC Information 1
Dedication and Acknowledgments 2
Executive Summary 4
History of Community 5
History of Organization 6
Disaster Information 7
Project Mission and Goals 8
Role of AmeriCorps NCCC 9
Schedules 10
Quantifiables 11
SLDP 12
Team Positions and Details 13-14
Community and Member Benefits 15
Pluses and Even Better Ifs 16
ISP Details 17
Team Brochure 18-19
Team Reflections 20-21
Press Release 22
Suggestions for Future Teams 23
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Executive Summary
Delta 4 served in Columbia, South Carolina with SBP renovating and
restoring homes for individuals and families affected by the 2015
1,000-year-flood and Hurricane Matthew, which hit September 28,
2016.
Delta 4 worked on several homes in Columbia performing mold
remediation, removing damaged carpet, and installing new laminate
floors.
The mission of the project was to continue the goal of long-term
disaster recovery and put individuals back into safe, sanitary, and
secure housing.
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History of the Community


Columbia, South Carolina was created in 1786 by the South Carolina legislature,
who decided that the state required a new capital city. Columbia grew rapidly
through the first half of the nineteenth century and was incorporated as a city in
1854. By that time, it was the largest inland city in the Carolinas. The economy
of the city revolved around cotton, and much of the railroad activity in and out
of Columbia was the transport of cotton bales. In 1860, the city hosted South
Carolinas Secession Convention in the First Baptist Church. The convention
voted 159-0 to secede. Much of
the city was destroyed by fires in
February 1865 when the city was
occupied by Union troops
commanded by General William
Tecumseh Sherman.
Columbia recovered quickly from
the war, and during the first years of Reconstruction the city experienced a
construction boom as the repair of buildings and railroads provided jobs for
local citizens. In 1917, the city became the site of Camp Jackson, a new US
military installation. In 1940, the camp became Fort Jackson, which now served
as the largest US Army installation for Basic Combat Training.
Columbia has an immediate population of 129,272 and a steadily-growing
metropolitan population of almost 800,000. The city is approximately 52%
white, 42% black, 4% Hispanic, and 2% Asian. The median family income is
39,589 and over 22% of the population is currently living below the poverty line.
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History of St. Bernard Project


SBP was founded in March 2006 by Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney after the
couple, who originally lived in Washington, D.C., volunteered in Louisianas St.
Bernard Parish following Hurricane Katrina. The parish, located just outside of
New Orleans, was rendered 100% uninhabitable by Katrinas floodwaters.
Seeing the inefficiency and unbearably slow progress of the institutional - or
traditional rebuilding process, but inspired by the residents' collective spirit
and fierce determination to rebuild, Zack and Liz launched SBP to help them
achieve their recovery goals.
With the tremendous support of donors, volunteers and corporate partners,
SBP has grown from a three-person volunteer team into a national organization
headquartered in New Orleans, and recognized as a leader in disaster resilience
and recovery, with a mission is to shrink time between disaster and recovery.

SBP seeks to achieve its mission via five interventions:

Rebuild homes quickly after disasters by mobilizing private sector


innovations and assigning a single point of contact to make the home
rebuilding process faster and more predictable.
Share rebuilding innovations with other rebuilding
organizations to allow for efficient, predictable recovery on
a national scale.
Prepare home and business owners prior to and following
disaster with specific steps to mitigate risk and improve
resilience.
Advise policy makers immediately after a disaster so they can deploy
federal dollars sooner, and in a way, that empowers an efficient recovery.

Advocate for the reform of disaster recovery strategies in the U.S. to improve
the predictability and speed of recovery.

Since 2006, SBP has directly rebuilt homes for more than 1,300 families with the
help of more than 180,000 volunteers in New Orleans, LA; Joplin, MO; Staten
Island, NY; Rockaway, NY; Monmouth/Ocean Counties, NJ; San Marcos, TX;
Columbia, SC; White Sulphur Springs, WV and Baton Rouge, LA.
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Hurricane and Flooding Information


Widespread, heavy rainfall caused major flooding in areas from the
central part of South Carolina to the coast. The historic rainfall
resulted in moderate to major river flooding across South Carolina
with at least 20 locations exceeding the established flood stages.
Flooding from this event resulted in 19 fatalities. Nine of these
fatalities occurred in Richland County, which includes the main urban
center of Columbia. South Carolina State Officials said damage losses
were $1.492 billion.
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Project Mission and Goals


In 2006, Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney founded the St. Bernard
Project in New Orleans, Louisiana in response to Hurricane Katrina.
The goal of SBP is to rebuild homes quickly after disasters, share
rebuilding innovations with other rebuilding organizations, prepare
homes and business owners prior to and folowing diasters, advise
policy makers immediately after a disaster so they can deploy faster
in an efficient manner and advocate for the reform of disaster
recovery strategies in the US.
In Columbia, South Carolina, SBPs mission is to restore housing to
homeowners who were affected by the 1000-year-flood and
Hurricane Matthew. AmeriCorps NCCC will help SBP in their mission
by assisting in rebuilding some of those houses.
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Role of AmeriCorps NCCC


The role of NCCC in this project is to help communities affected by the
thousand-year flood in Colombia, South Carolina. Corps members
help SBP with renovating houses and tasks such as mold remediation,
installing laminate flooring, and replacing drywall. Delta 4 is gaining
construction skills and an understanding of how a disaster affects
communities long term. We will be assisting SBP with painting and
mudding ceilings inside of houses affected by the flooding.

Corps Member Tanzya Jones-Tarpley working with


AmeriCorps member from SBP using a power tool.
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Daily and Weekly Schedules


Daily Schedule
6:30-7:30 Wakeup call.
7:30-8:00 Travel to worksite.
8:00-8:30 Summary of work schedule / tool use.
8:30-12:00 Renovate homes.
12:00-12:30 Break for lunch.
12:30-4:30 Renovate homes.
4:30-5:00 Clean up tools / trash.

Weekly Schedule
Monday-Friday Work days.
Saturday-Sunday Days off.
Sunday Laundry, WalMart, Team Meetings.
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Quantifiables:
7 people assisted in disaster area
2 homes mucked and/or gutted
2 homes painted or renovated

Four Delta 4 Corps Members working together to lay


laminate flooring.
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SLDP
Orientation the team received from the sponsor:
Delta 4 received trainings on how to use power tools such as jigsaws,
table saws, sawz-alls, impact drivers, standard drills, hammer drills,
drummels, and chop saws.
The team also received training on mold remediation.

All skills and knowledge learned through the teams Service Learning
Opportunities:
- The importance of long-term disaster recovery organizations.
- How to use power tools, remove mold, lay flooring.
- Learned about career opportunities in the non-profit sector.

Corps Member Tanzya


Jones-Tarpley holding
a couple of the power
tools used by Delta 4
while working with
SBP.
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Specialty Roles
Alexis Zysek, Team Leader, provided Corps Members with the
connections they needed to complete their specialty role, helping to
set up trainings for the team, and overseeing projects. She had one on
ones with Corps Members as needed to provide feedback and solve
work space problems.
Hannah Mitchell, Assistant Team Leader, supervised her teammates
throughout the first half of round 2 on the worksite and in housing.
Specifically, she held a leadership role when the team split up to work
at separate homes / worksites.
Molly Huhn, Media Representative, worked on contacting team
members alumni institutions to share what members have been
doing. She also developed Facebook posts for AmeriCorps NCCC and
SBP. Lastly, she created a member reflection video and took before
and after photos of the work completed by Delta 4.

Hannah Mitchell, Project Outreach Liaison, coordinated an ISP at the


EdVenture Childrens Museum where the team dressed up as
storybook characters for the annual Storybook Ball. She also reached
out to veterans organizations in an effort to schedule a national day
of service.

Bernardia Flavius and Kyle Ammerman, Recruiter and Assistant


Recruiter, did a refresher course on the Dos and Donts of recruiting,
visibility event, alumni engagement, and visited the South Carolina
Youth challenge and Dreher High School for recruiting events.
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Chris Henderson and Liam Cleckley, Vehicle Safety and Tools


Coordinator and Assistant VST, conducted routine vehicle inspections,
discussed safety concerns amongst the team, and did initial inspection
upon arriving to housing.

Quentin Rubel, Life After AmeriCorps Representative, collected


resumes and work histories from each team member and assisted
them in adding NCCC to their resume. The LAA rep also led a
workshop on resume creation and improvement.
Jared Connolly, Physical Training Coordinator, Scheduled PT for Delta
4 such as jogging, a YMCA workout, and a kickball game vs. Delta 4s
sponsors SBP. He had also set up wellness activities such as bowling,
compliments in a box, and did a wellness walk at a national park.
Jackie Papetti, Service learning Initiator, had the team participate in a
reflection activity where each CM and the TL talked about how they
were feeling, how it affected them on the worksite, and how being on
the worksite affected them.
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Community and Corps Member Benefits


Community Benefits
Rebuilding and refurbishing disaster stricken homes.
Making a positive impact on survivor's lives.
Giving positive examples on relations between government and
citizens.
Showcasing possible career opportunities for young adults.
Creating a safe and sanitary living environment for families.
Bringing attention to the people who may have been overlooked
due to other major disasters.
Corps Member Benefits
Gain construction skills (flooring, mold remediation).
Gain understanding of the process of long term disaster
recovery.
Networking opportunities with another branch of the
AmeriCorps program.
Opportunities to observe non-profit management.
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Pluses Even Better Ifs


The Site Supervisors kept the If the team could have access to
work fun and interesting. retrieving supplies for ourselves.
The work the team did was The work was a little more
meaningful and the team was intermittent.
able to see the impact.
Being able to learn construction If Site Sups were more aware of
skills, how to use power tools. the work that needed to be
done.
Being involved with the SBP If the team could have learned
office and the South Carolina more about the information at
Disaster Recovery. the meetings we attended.
Being a part of the SBP family, If there was more funding to do
they made an effort to make more for homeowners than the
Delta 4 feel as the team were a specific things that were
part of their team. damaged by the flood.
Meeting the homeowners, If the team could organize a
getting the connection and National Day of Service with the
gratitude. AmeriCorps SBP members.
Learning about possible future More trainings on the work
careers in disaster work. earlier on in the project.
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ISP Details
EdVenture Childrens Museum
Margaret DuBose (803)400-1147
Delta 4 worked alongside 140 community volunteers, worked in 5
rooms and wore 10 costumes.

Delta 4 in costume at the EdVenture Childrens


Museum Storybook Ball.
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Team Reflections
I have never had experience working in construction. I was nervous to be
working on someones home at first. Walking into the house on the first day
was shocking to see what an individual could be living in for so long. People
tend to forget about the long-term recovery of a disaster, especially when the
media spotlight is gone. The homeowner was so kind and grateful for the work
he saw being done. I gained a new insight on long-term disaster recovery and
the work that nonprofits like SBP are doing to get people back into safe and
sanitary living conditions. It amazes me to see the progress and transformation
of this house before and after our work here. It means a great deal to have been
a part of this experience. -Molly Huhn CM

This project has given our team the opportunity to learn new skills and utilize
them to help people affected by floods. We have been able to meet the people
we are directly affecting as well, which has been such a heartwarming
experience. The gratitude we have received from both SBP and the
homeowners has made this project very rewarding, and I am thankful that we
have been welcomed into this community with open arms. -Hannah Mitchell
CM

Working with SBP has brought us a great experience. We learned how to use
different tools, popcorn ceilings and put down laminate flooring. We have met
plenty of incredible people. -Kyle Ammerman CM
The learning process with SBP was quick and simple to be able to do what we
accomplished in the short amount of time we were here was great. The site
supervisors are great instructors and made this a fun and educational project.
-Bernardia Flavius CM

It has been a wonderful and great experience working with SBP. I learned
many new skills. The SBP members patience made it easy to learn and work
and they also listened and took the time to show everyone how to do what we
were doing. I thank SBP for all their hard work and dedication. -Liam Cleckley
CM
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Team Reflections Continued


This project has shown Delta 4 and myself how disaster affects communities
long term. All the site supervisors are incredibly nice and patient with their
volunteers. -Jared Connolly CM

I am proud to be a part of the long-term recovery efforts of this great city


Colombia, SC. SBP works with a great branch of the A. Working with SBP was a
great opportunity to dive into a big issue in a disaster stricken community.
-Chris Henderson CM

I think when I comes to disasters, our society generally has a very powerful and
immediate response. We have a variety of organizations whose purpose it is to
provide immediate aid. However, as news coverage fades, so does the public's
concern for those affected, which is why organizations such as SBP and the work
they do are so important. It has been our privilege to work in the field of long-
term disaster recovery, for it is crucial for us as a society to remember that the
effects of disasters last longer than the news coverage. -Quentin Rubel CM

Working with SBP allowed Delta 4 to experience long term disaster recovery
work. Delta 4 got to see the condition that homes were in two years after the
flood and gain perspective about the importance of their service. It thought it
was exciting for the team to learn some hands-on skills working with power
tools and restoring homes. The team has been welcomed into the SBP family
and I found the work we have done to be both meaningful and beneficial my
own growth -Alexis Zysek TL

I am incredibly grateful to have been able to work with the non-profit SBP.
They gave me a new perspective and showed myself and my team a different
way of serving the communities of South Carolina. The gratitude from the
homeowners made all the hard work worth it. I appreciate the opportunity I got
to work with SBP. -Jackie Papetti CM
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For Immediate Release
October 18, 2017
Contact: Molly Huhn
Mobile: 515-846-1306
Email: malhuhn15@gmail.com

Hurricane Joaquin still leaves people barely floating,


AmeriCorps NCCC team hopes to get survivors back in their homes
Columbia, SC An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team, Delta Four, is serving with St.
Bernard Project (SBP) in Columbia, South Carolina, for four weeks. The NCCC team of 11 members from the
AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi, is working to assist in disaster recovery.
Individuals and families in Columbia were impacted by two recent flooding events that devastated South Carolina.
The Delta Four members will help to return residents into safe and sanitary conditions.

Oftentimes homeowners are forced to pay both a rent and a mortgage until they can return to their homes safely.
The team will be helping to alleviate this stress by getting residents in low to moderate incomes back into their
homes. During their four weeks the team will assist SBP in gutting, insulating, dehumidifying, removing debris,
drywall, sanding, painting, flooring, and more to repair these homes.

Sometimes people forget about the long term recovery communities go through after damage like this, said
Delta 4 corps Member, Molly Huhn. Our team is looking forward to working with St. Bernard Project to help
families back into their homes.

SBP's mission is to shrink time between disaster and recovery. Since its founding in 2006 in St. Bernard Parish,
Louisiana following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. SBP has rebuilt homes for more than 1,150
families with the help of 150,000 volunteers in New Orleans; Joplin, MO; Staten Island, NY; Rockaway, NY;
Monmouth and Ocean Counties, NJ; San Marcos, TX; Columbia, SC and White Sulphur Springs, WV.

AmeriCorps NCCCs mission is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national
and community service. In partnership with non-profits (secular and faith based), local municipalities, state
governments, federal government, national and state parks, Indian tribes, and schools, members complete service
projects throughout the region they are assigned.
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Suggestions for Future Teams


Come to the worksite with an open mind and willing to come out of
your comfort zone while using power tools you may have never used
before.
Utilize the Site Supervisors when you can, they, like you, are
AmeriCorps Members and will help you with any challenges you face.
Learn as much as you can. There are plenty of construction skills you
can pick up while working with SBP.

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