BATON ROUGE, La. — The AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team (A-DRT) has helped more than 2,000 survivors affected by the Louisiana floods with home repair services.
Following the disaster, 833 A-DRT members were deployed to Louisiana for mucking and gutting efforts to distressed areas. The remaining crew leaves Saturday, March 4, 2017. For this disaster, crews stripped homes back to the studs, removing damaged drywall, insulation, flooring and large appliances. A-DRTs repaired over 700 homes.
A-DRTs have worked with more than 26 Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), including the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, to provide direct services to individuals and families in need. Crews supported mass care facilities and donation warehouses that serviced an estimated 62,577 people for this disaster. A-DRTs have also collected information on unmet needs to assist with long-term recovery efforts by connecting individuals and families with critical resources.
The initiative is made up of 16 different AmeriCorps programs managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The A-DRT crews are managed through the Disaster Services unit at CNCS, a federal agency that helps millions of Americans improve the lives of their fellow citizens through service. Since 1994, CNCS programs have provided critical support to millions of Americans affected by disasters.
