Transcripts of Volunteering: "It's and amazing feeling."

Music So AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National Community Service. And they have partnered with FEMA, and um come out with this mission assignment. And our, our main mission assignment is to be operating these volunteer reception centers. And so right now we have two um two different Corps here. The Washington Conservation Corps and the Southwest Conservation Corps. 

With AmeriCorps our mission is to help match up homeowners coming in requesting assistance with the volunteers and volunteer groups that come in wanting to help the homeowners effected by Hurricane Sandy. Here in the volunteer reception center we take in requests put them in a database as volunteers come that can possibly help with those requests. We match them up as well as dispatching our own AmeriCorps members to go and hopefully complete the jobs. We've had a number of homeowner requests particularly in the hardest hit regions, Union Beach and Keansburg. Put out a notice that we're moving past getting in, we need people to show up to help that know how to hang drywall and people have been showing up. And just seeing that has been really really cool. 

I have a lot of friends that live in the area New Jersey, um I'm from Quincy Mass, it's almost in my back yard I guess you could say. Only four hours away. Honestly it for me it is enjoyable. I love doing construction. I'm an engineer, and hanging drywall, putting up studs, ah, I have fun with it, so, to be able to um, to do something I share a talent that I have and actually help people while doing so is great. 

I'm here with a group from my church, The Presbyterian Church in Morristown. We're working today through the Salvation Army and some of us are, are going to work at their center. And others are working through AmeriCorps to go out to do construction work. Fifteen years ago my house was destroyed in a fire, and it was so meaningful to me when friends arrived to do whatever they could to help. When the fire engines were still at the house friends from my office were there ready to do whatever they could. And it wasn't so much what they did but that they were there showing me they cared. And so ever since then I've felt really called to help others. 

Well I live two towns over, and we, we do come down here a couple times in the summer we ride our bikes through the bike trail. I myself was in the dark for eight days. And I didn't know this was going on. When I heard it on the radio what's going on down here we took a drive down to see what's going on. And I seen a sign in front of one of the houses that said "put your camera down and help." And I decided you know what, that's a real good idea. Took the cameras home the next day we came down and helped. 

You know to see the people that lost stuff showing up to help other people, its really inspiring. And really, really cool. 

You're doing work that, that is directly affecting people. And people who need help. And, um, it's a good lesson in being immersed in your community and engaged in your community and doing community service. 

The feeling of when somebody hugs you in appreciation it just its an amazing feeling you know you actually made a difference on somebody else’s life and you actually helped them and its just, I don't know how to describe it other than just, just an amazing feeling and just that alone is all I need.