Marking the 25th year of partnership with AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity will hire 325 AmeriCorps members for the 2019-20 service year with the support of a $4.93 million federal grant. The funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service will enable AmeriCorps members to contribute more than 552,000 hours of service in 125 communities across the U.S. during the 2019-20 service year.

“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.”

This week, 275 current Habitat AmeriCorps members and alumni are working together during the annual Habitat AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon event hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County in North Carolina. During the week, AmeriCorps members will work together to construct 11 new affordable homes as well as help with yard beautification in the Crosstown Neighborhood in Raleigh.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is the federal agency that oversees the AmeriCorps program and other volunteer and service initiatives. Habitat’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. Through this partnership, 10,148 Habitat AmeriCorps members have served more than 109,000 individuals and engaged more than 3.7 million volunteers.

“For 25 years, the AmeriCorps members who pledge to ‘get things done’ have represented the best of America while demonstrating the great promise and ideals of our country,” said Chester Spellman, director of AmeriCorps. “This commitment is always at its most visible when hundreds of them unite for the annual Habitat for Humanity Build-a-Thon. I salute all the AmeriCorps members who will participate this year, and congratulate Habitat for Humanity on their 2019 AmeriCorps grant giving more Americans a chance to make a powerful impact for years to come.”

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.