Barbara Mikulski: “7 months ago, the world watched in horror and disbelief as Hurricane Katrina tore through the gulf coast and left…”

“7 months ago, the world watched in horror and disbelief as Hurricane Katrina tore through the gulf coast and left massive devastation in its wake. We have seen the pictures of toppled buildings, collapsed houses, and communities covered in an endless blanket of debris. We have wondered--how will they ever recover? With the help of volunteers, slowly they are making progress. Hundreds of selfless do-gooders have been putting on hard hats, wading through homes knee-deep in mud, clearing debris and literally doing the dirty work. April is National Volunteers Month. I wish to recognize it by saying thank you to all the volunteers and service workers everywhere. And this year I especially want to honor those helping out with Hurricane Katrina recovery. They are taking time out of their lives to help their fellow Americans in their time of need--and they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. AmeriCorps is the embodiment of this spirit of volunteerism and service to the country. Since 1989, I have been a leader in the creation of AmeriCorps. I introduced the National and Community Service Act to establish the Corporation for National and Community Service to oversee and coordinate our national volunteer efforts and to create a demonstration program that has evolved into what we know today as AmeriCorps. As one of the founders, I have been its chief advocate in the Senate.…”