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Last updated on Thursday, July 21, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - An AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team is serving with the City of Bloomington and the South Central Community Action Program to support the Monroe County Energy Challenge (MCEC) this summer.
The team is assisting with air sealing and insulating attics, conducting home energy assessments, and the annual Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale.
The 9 NCCC team members from the North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa are promoting a greener locale by performing free home energy assessments and installing basic weatherization measures for residents. They are also helping the MCEC provide free or low cost attic insulation in low income homes. The team is also canvassing local neighborhoods, surveying the needs of the residents, collecting data on residents' current monthly utility bills and educating homeowners and renters on reducing energy consumption.
Through their service, the NCCC members are helping create a more energy efficient community. This will help lower energy consumption and power bills in local residences and build capacity among residents for adopting more sustainable practices. This is beneficial to the citizens of Bloomington and the surrounding area as it encourages wiser and more efficient habits and practices concerning energy usage. The wider community benefits as well, as improvements to infrastructure, housing and environmental health positively affect the health and quality of life of those living in the area.
"This project is helping the city of Bloomington and the Monroe County Energy Challenge by having the community involved in energy conservation. I feel like the community is benefitting by being more aware of energy conservation and the ability to have homes that are more efficient and lower their yearly cost of living," comments Oak 7 member Catalina Medina on the project.
The mission of the City of Bloomington's Department of Economic & Sustainable Development is to enhance the quality of life for citizens by administering strategic programs and initiatives that foster an environment where business thrive and retain and create new, quality jobs. Sustainability and livability are the guiding principles, and are the foundations of quality, long lasting economic and community development. The Monroe County Energy Challenge (MCEC) is a community-wide effort to reduce energy use in order to win the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps unit engages up to 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 the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.
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