Home repairs, construction among AmeriCorps efforts

AmeriCorps members of the Caring Corps AmeriCorps program in Springfield, sponsored by Ozarks Fighting Back, have been serving the local community through home repair, neighborhood cleanups, tutoring and conflict-resolution training.

The AmeriCorps volunteers' efforts resulted in more than $50,000 of in-kind goods and services, which were contributed to assist hundreds of Springfield residents.

Highlights of volunteers' local accomplishments included:

?16 home-repair projects between April and June, resulting in an estimated $30,521 worth of repairs; and

?Six neighborhood cleanups removing a total of 1,050 cubic yards of trash, services valued at an estimated $10,500.

In addition, 22 Caring Corps AmeriCorps service projects have been completed or are ongoing, including collaboration with the Springfield Police Department on the Helmet Safety program as part of National Safe Kids Week April 5-11, and work as "Oprah's Angels" on a Habitat for Humanity House in Springfield sponsored by talk show host Oprah Winfrey.