Malverne woman travels to Tenn. to provide aid

    Malverne resident Rachel Freeman was one of a group 20 who traveled to Nashville, Tenn. last month to provide assistance following a major flood that destroyed homes and businesses throughout the area.
    Freeman, 23, and her group, which is part of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, deployed on May 12 to the region, where severe thunderstorms wreaked havoc several weeks ago and caused the Cumberland River to crest at 51 feet. Flooding in some areas reached 40 feet.
    More than 23, 000 families and individuals registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a result of the destruction. Under an agreement with FEMA and the American Red Cross, NCCC members have responded to every national disaster on US soil since the program began. As part of the NCCC, Freeman and her group have been mucking and gutting flooded homes and will continue to their cleanup efforts until the middle of June.
    "I hope that our team can aid the people of Tennessee as they rebuild their homes and their lives," Freeman said prior to deployment. "I am looking forward to working hard to reach that goal."
    Upon training for disaster response and recovery work in February, Freeman has completed public service projects with the Atlantic Region NCCC office in Perry Point, Md. Prior to her deployment, Freeman constructed homes for individuals in need as part of her work with Habitat for Humanity in Middletown, Del.