Alexandria, VA -- September 9, 2005 - Volunteers of America today announced that it has reserved over 350 apartments in affordable housing communities in 21 states across the country for victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Volunteers of America has staff in place to match evacuees with apartments, and is also serving as a clearinghouse for other housing providers to provide hurricane victims with housing opportunities.  Volunteers of America is one of the largest nonprofit providers of affordable housing in the country, and owns and operates more than 250 affordable housing communities in 31 states that are home to more than 20,000 people.

"Volunteers of America is committed to providing the victims of Hurricane Katrina with a decent and affordable place to live," said Karen Dale, Volunteers of America executive vice president of operations and strategic development.  "Our organization has served our most vulnerable citizens in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi for over 100 years, and we will continue to focus on immediate aid and long-term recovery for the displaced residents of the Gulf Coast."
 
The apartments that will be made available to Hurricane Katrina victims are located in housing communities owned and operated by Volunteers of America in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.  These Section 202, 811 and LIHTC housing communities are home to over 3,500 low-income seniors, families and people with disabilities.  Three Volunteers of America housing communities that housed over 1,000 people in New Orleans sustained severe damage due to Hurricane Katrina, and Volunteers of America is planning to restore these apartments as soon as access to the city is possible.

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually based organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement.  It is one of the largest nonprofit providers of quality affordable housing and last year served nearly 2 million people in need.  Volunteers of America nurtures, supports and uplifts the human spirit-working with children and youth, the elderly, homeless individuals and families, and others to empower them in reaching their full potential.