Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County, a leading voice for affordable housing initiatives in South Carolina, will welcome seven AmeriCorps National members for the 2019-2020 service year. AmeriCorps members will work alongside future and current Habitat homeowners, staff, and volunteers to help build or improve homes and neighborhoods in the local community.

This service year, Habitat Greenville will have members working in five areas of the affiliate including new construction, neighborhood revitalization, home preservation, volunteer services, and family services. Along with those completing a year of service in 2019-2020, the affiliate has AmeriCorps alumni on staff who have completed service years over the past 20 years.

“As an AmeriCorps alum, the opportunity to welcome new members into the Habitat family gives me hope,” said Hannah Wickline, construction coordinator and AmeriCorps host site manager. “Through my service years I was able to see the need for and impact of Habitat on a community as well as gain job skills and a direction for my future. Members bring new energy, ideas, and enthusiasm while they gain experience and give back to the community in a tangible way. These members are the future leaders we need to continue toward our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

Funding for the AmeriCorps members comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees the AmeriCorps program and other volunteer and service initiatives in the U.S. Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service began in 1994 to place 122 AmeriCorps members in five locations to support Habitat’s work. Since then, more than 500 AmeriCorps members have served annually with Habitat throughout the U.S., and 10,148 Habitat AmeriCorps members have served more than 109,000 individuals and engaged more than 3.7 million volunteers.

“AmeriCorps members play an essential role in Habitat’s work to help families achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance through homeownership,” said Mark Andrews, senior vice president of operations for Habitat for Humanity International. “The impact that AmeriCorps members make when serving local communities and Habitat homeowners is profound, and we thank them for their commitment to Habitat’s mission. We are very grateful to the Corporation for National and Community Service for awarding us these funds, which will only further our partnership with AmeriCorps to meet the need for affordable housing solutions in the U.S.”

AmeriCorps members apply for and serve full-time for at least a year at local Habitat organizations across the country. Local Habitat organizations apply for a certain number of AmeriCorps positions and pay the costs for each member.

To learn more about Habitat AmeriCorps and how to get involved, visit habitat.org/americorps. For information on open AmeriCorps positions at Habitat Greenville, contact [email protected].