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AmeriCorps assists CARE with long-term recovery plans
Members of the AmeriCorps program are currently on island to assist the newly formed CNMI: CARE in its long-term recovery efforts on Saipan following Typhoon Soudelor.
Members of the CNMI: CARE meet with their subcommittees after their general meeting last Tuesday at the Office of the Governor’s conference room. AmeriCorps and other government agencies also attended the meeting. (Frauleine S. Villanueva)
A team of 10 AmeriCorps members from off-island recently arrived on island and took part in a CARE meeting last Tuesday at the Governor’s Office. Some government departments also joined the meeting
“The members that have come are from Texas and Minnesota,” AmeriCorps emergency response team program manager Megan Helton said. “[Our mission is] to help to stand up some volunteer management and volunteer organizations for the long term.”
The team will be on island for 30 days.
“Right now we’re capturing data and information and trying to compile some report so that as long-term recovery committee moves forward, they have some data to use to apply for grants for additional funding of the organizations,” Helton said.
Based on the information collected, over $1.038 million worth of goods and monetary donations were given directly to organizations in response to Typhoon Soudelor.
Aside from AmeriCorps, the Department of Public Works and Department of Public Safety joined the CARE meeting.
According to Matt Deleon Guerrero, chief of staff of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the government agencies are not necessarily members of CARE, which is composed of the non-government groups and organizations.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Office was recently tasked by Gov. Eloy S. Inos to be the primary agency in coordinating governmental support and assistance to CARE.
“This is kind of an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ kind of thing and so we’re trying to reach out,” Deleon Guerrero said. “We’re not necessarily members but we’re assisting the process.”
