AmeriCorps NCC team begins stint in Bend
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) Team Blue 3 will be stationed in Bend, working at The Environmental Center from March 30 to May 16. The team is composed of 12 members from around the United States.
At the Environmental Center, Blue 3 is helping Central Oregon residents conserve energy through The Energy Challenge program. The team will be assisting with residential energy efficiency upgrades through the installation of LED light bulbs and water-saving fixtures including shower heads and faucet aerators.
Maxwell Neimeier, Corps member, is excited to work with the Free LED Program. “Installing efficient technology is great for the Bend community and for the environment,” Neimeier stated. “We are making a huge difference by saving energy!”
The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. The organization has a variety of programs that range from youth education, a learning gardening, zero waste initiatives and more. To date, The Energy Challenge program has completed LED installations in over 2,700 homes across Central Oregon. While Blue 3 is in town, they are expected to complete another 500 installations in Bend, Tumalo and Redmond.
“We’re ready to help even more residents save money and energy,” said Neil Baunsgard, program manager for The Energy Challenge. “Team Blue 3 will be a big asset to this program, and we will make a great impact on the community during their time here.”
Prior to their arrival in Bend, Blue 3 worked on disaster relief projects with the American Red Cross in Goldsboro, North Carolina to repair communities after the devastation of Hurricane Matthew. The team has also served at an outdoor school in Petaluma, California.
To learn more about the Free LED Program, and to schedule your installation, call (541) 385-6908 x26 or visit www.theenergychallenge.org/freebulbs.
The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps units engage 2,800 young Americans in a full-time, 10-month commitment to service each year. AmeriCorps NCCC members address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development; FEMA Corps members are solely dedicated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery work. The programs are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
