From March through mid-April, AmeriCorps volunteers are joining with Lutheran Disaster Response to help on critical projects in Berks, Philadelphia, and Delaware Counties. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that addresses community challenges through volunteering and strives to make service a cornerstone of our national culture. Team members work in areas such as environmental stewardship, affordable housing, and disaster response while earning money for college.

The ten young men and women of the North Central Region of AmeriCorps have been tackling critical home repair projects in Berks County where residents are still suffering from the catastrophic damage caused by the July 2023 flash flooding. They have rolled up their sleeves to replace insulation, hang drywall, and install flooring in affected mobile homes on Hollywood Drive and in Fleetwood. After their time in Berks, they will be heading to Philadelphia to perform more house repairs there.

“I’m thrilled they’re here, especially since they’re helping us complete key projects before the April 30th deadline for the Disaster Recovery Assistance Program (DRAP),” says Julia Frank, Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator for Eastern Pennsylvania. “To have a team with us for seven weeks is really making a difference in getting the work done.”

Ruby Meyer, an AmeriCorps volunteer from Virginia, agrees. “Sometimes it feels like change needs an army of people, but even a group as small as ours can make a difference in a short time.”

A community united in support

The local community has embraced the AmeriCorps volunteers. The Bridge Fellowship in Shillington and Salt and Light Church in Philadelphia are providing housing, while Lutheran churches and community groups are donating meals—support that’s much needed as volunteers only get a $6 per diem for food.

“This community has been incredibly welcoming and kind to us,” Ruby says. “We’ve truly lucked out.”

Russell Campbell, a volunteer from Maryland, was overwhelmed by the community’s response. “The overflow of support and generosity…from the roof over our heads, to much of the food we eat, to the many kind people we have met…it has been a truly wonderful experience, and I can only hope that our work is good enough repayment,” he says.

Learning and growing through service

For many of the volunteers, AmeriCorps also provides opportunities for personal growth. After attending a talk given by a housing expert in Reading, Russell and Ruby believe they have a better picture of the issues unhoused people face.

Seeing the problem up close helped Russell realize the importance of repairing homes before they reached a state where they had to be abandoned. And Ruby says, “It opened my eyes to the cycle of disasters causing people to become more vulnerable to losing their property and becoming unhoused.”

A community of caring

AmeriCorps volunteers and Lutheran Disaster Response are not just repairing homes, they are restoring hope. Their dedication, combined with the generosity of local churches and organizations, is creating a community of caring—one where neighbors support one each other in times of need.

Russell puts it best: “I think if we can help, in any small way, keep a roof over someone’s head, then we’ve made a profound difference in their life.”