Habitat for Humanity has been awarded $4.93 million in funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service to support 325 AmeriCorps National members who will serve with Habitat in the 2020-21 service year.

During the upcoming service year, Habitat AmeriCorps members are expected to contribute approximately 552,500 hours of service, including building or repairing homes alongside homeowners in more than 100 communities across the U.S. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made the work we do even more critical, as families across the nation who were already dealing with housing instability now grapple with lost income,” said Jacqueline Innocent, vice president, volunteer and institutional engagement for Habitat for Humanity International. “With the support of this grant, our AmeriCorps members will be able to serve more families, build stronger and more resilient communities, and work together to eradicate historic barriers to housing. We are grateful to the Corporation for National and Community Service for our continued partnership.”

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency for volunteering, civic engagement and national service programs like AmeriCorps. For more than 25 years, more than 1 million dedicated Americans have joined AmeriCorps. Habitat and the Corporation for National and Community Service began its partnership in 1994 to place 122 AmeriCorps members in five locations to support Habitat’s work.

Since the program’s inception, more than 11,256 AmeriCorps members have worked with Habitat to serve more than 122,758 individuals, engaging more than 4.2 million volunteers and raising tens of millions of dollars to meet the housing needs of families in the U.S.

“For more than two decades, Americans have answered the call to serve by as AmeriCorps members,” said Chester Spellman, director of AmeriCorps. “Through their dedication and sacrifice, I know our nation is in good hands... We are so pleased to be supporting more AmeriCorps members for Habitat for Humanity, where their service will help to create a brighter tomorrow. I salute all of our AmeriCorps members past, present and future and thank those who help make their service possible.”

AmeriCorps members apply for and serve full-time for at least a year at local Habitat organizations across the country. Habitat for Humanity covers roughly half the cost of each service member, delivering results at a much lower cost than direct government services.

To learn more about Habitat AmeriCorps and how to get involved, visit habitat.org/americorps.