AmeriCorps, the federal government agency responsible for promoting volunteer service, recently celebrated “AmeriCorps Week” to honor over 270,000 AmeriCorps members, people of all ages and backgrounds engaged in volunteer service across the country.
AmeriCorps St. Louis’ Emergency Response Team engages 42 members every year to carry out projects related to environmental stewardship, wildland firefighting, and disaster response. These members build trails in O’Fallon Park, remove invasive bush honeysuckle along Great Rivers Greenway trails, perform prescribed burns with the Missouri Department of Conservation, fight floods along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and more. Since March 2020, we have also engaged in COVID-19 relief efforts by supporting testing and vaccinations sites, distributing food and PPE.AmeriCorps St. Louis is a member of the St. Louis Winter Outreach Network that provides emergency shelter to unhoused individuals every winter.
AmeriCorps programs strengthen our communities and help create the next generation of leaders who will help make our world a better place. Learn more about AmeriCorps St. Louis, visit www.acstl.org.
Jane Kersch, St. Louis, Mo.
