With more and more American troops heading to the Persian Gulf, HUD's Buffalo Office turned a "speaking opportunity" into an opportunity to serve these brave men and women.

AmeriCorps, part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, contacted Office Director Steve Banko - a much-decorated veteran of the Vietnam War - to speak to local young people 'in service to America.' They hoped he would share his insights about the value of volunteer groups like AmeriCorps and the American Red Cross. But Banko (at podium) saw the invitation as an opportunity for the HUD Buffalo staff to support America's brave men and women. He sought volunteers from the office to join the Red Cross and AmeriCorps workers in packing toiletry items for distribution to American forces overseas. Twenty HUD volunteers answered the call and proudly served the troops answering the call to defend freedom in far-flung places around the world.

Nancy Blaschak, Red Cross Exec. Dir.(at podium), Mark Lazzara, Ex. Dir. of West Seneca Youth Board (sponsors of AmeriCorps and HUD Youth Build); Banko and other HUD volunteers.

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based organizations. They tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters. AmeriCorps provides trained, dedicated people to help nonprofits accomplish more and make more effective use of volunteers. President Bush has asked AmeriCorps to expand its work in public safety, public health, and disaster relief to assist in homeland security.

The Buffalo area has 14 National Guard and Army Reserve units, numbering more than 5,000 men and women. Area residents were among the first units ordered to active duty following September 11, 2001 with the 914 Tactical Airlift Wing deployed to fly support and transport missions in Afghanistan. Other units ranging from Civil Affairs to Military Police have been ordered to active duty and are standing by to assist the war on terrorism. Combat engineers, Coast Guard port security teams, and medical troops from area units were deployed during Desert Storm and are standing at the ready to help with this new fight for freedom.