While we often hear about what hasn't yet been done in the Gulf Coast, there are also importantstories of triumph and success that are equally important to the recovery.

In this commentary, Erin Lawless, Program Manager of Gulf Coast Operations at Rebuilding Together National, shares anecdotes of the impact of service in the recovery and calls for federal support in sustaining volunteerism.

Read the letter here.

This commentary is part of a series co-presented by the Equity and Inclusion Campaign and Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity on the need to renew the national focus on the region's recovery, with an emphasis on low-income and vulnerable communities.