"We thank Michigan's AmeriCorps for choosing Benton Harbor to host this year's Signature Service Project," said Mike Green, executive director of Harbor Habitat for Humanity.  "Their time and enthusiasm will help us jumpstart the Crystal Estates neighborhood.  This unique service opportunity is another example of how Benton Harbor remains a ‘City of Promise'."

The 2008 Signature Service Project was a partnership between Michigan's AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, and Harbor Habitat for Humanity.  The SSP is an annual event serving a different community each year.  Michigan's AmeriCorps is a program of the Michigan Community Service Commission, a state agency that helps strengthen communities by building a culture of volunteer service. 

"When you see AmeriCorps members in action during the Signature Service Project and serving in their local communities, it's a powerful demonstration of how volunteerism is changing Michigan's landscape for the better," said Musette A. Michael, executive director of the Michigan Community Service Commission.   "Communities and organizations all over the state are able to achieve goals far beyond their normal capacity because of the service of nearly 1,000 AmeriCorps members in Michigan."