On Wednesday, September 17, AmeriCorps NCCC arrived in Lake City in their 12-passenger van to begin their work with Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity.
AmeriCorps NCCC or NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a yearlong commitment for young adults aged 18-24. NCCC’s roots sprouted in 1994. The federal organization is loosely based on the work that the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) did following the Great Depression. Their mission is “to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national and community service.” Teams works across the United States to aid in Disaster Relief, environmental and energy conservation and infrastructure improvements.
For Goodhue County Habitat, NCCC is working on infrastructure improvements. Their main objective is to serve on the Red Wing HOPE Heights site. HOPE Heights will bring 10 single-family homes, and 8 twin homes, and will welcome 26 families over the next several years. Goodhue Count Habitat for Humanity is is constructing the first twin home that will house two different families.
The NCCC team also has the ability to support the work being done on the other build sites across the county. The NCCC team that is working in Goodhue County is called Wolf 7. Over the next year, they will travel to different locations across the county serving the mission of strengthening communities.
The team’s assistant leader, Calib Keefe, from New York says that he joined AmeriCorps NCCC to bring spontaneity into his life and he looks forward to helping communities across the United States.
So far Wolf 7 has been focused most of their time completing siding and exterior work at HOPE Heights. They also devoted time to landscaping work, and installing the flooring for our Lake City build.
Yann Kemper from Ohio says, “It’s nice you can walk downtown, you can’t where I’m from. It’s been cool to be on the scaffolding and to use a nail gun.” He later says that he loves seeing the homes take shape and that he’s doing the most fulfilling work he has ever done.
To put it into perspective, Wolf 7 is a team of 9 volunteers working 40 hours a week. By the time that they leave in late October, they will have contributed 1,980 hours to Goodhue County Habitat’s construction projects.
Team leaders from the Wolf 7 team are giving presentations about the work NCCC is doing. They have presented to United Lutheran Church and to Lake City Noontime Kiwanis.
Off the build site, The AmeriCorps team has been busy exploring the area’s hiking trails, coffee shops, and even made a special stop at the Red Wing Shoe Company’s flagship store to take in the world’s largest boot
Click to see the full map of deployment for NCCC across the United States: https://data.americorps.gov/National-Service/AmeriCorps-NCCC-Deployment-Report-Map-9-24-2026/mpua-if6c
Writing Credits to Callum Cummings
Photo Credits to Yann Kemper