More Than 2 Million Meals Served, Thousands Sheltered By Volunteer Organizations In Louisiana Disaster
Release Date: October 21, 2002
Release Number: 1437-68
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Baton Rouge, LA -- An army of volunteer agencies and church groups from throughout Louisiana and much of the nation has been assembled to take help directly to persons suffering from the dual attacks of Tropical Storm Isidore and Hurricane Lili.
They have offered-and continue to offer-shelter, food and personal items. Some are even doing tree removal and clean up tasks for the elderly and others. A variety of vital assistance is being provided.
To date, more than 2 million meals have been served to those stricken by the twin storms, thousands have been sheltered and assisted in making temporary repairs to damaged homes, cleaning away choking debris, and generally comforted by numerous church groups and some larger, more familiar agencies like the American Red Cross (ARC) and others.
"Recovery isn't easy or quick," said Harry Nofsker, volunteer agency coordinator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "It's long and hard and the spirit of volunteerism continues long after the first emergency recovery operations end."
Perhaps an understatement of actual help from the agencies and individual groups is that as of the end of last week:
- More than 2 million meals and snacks have been served to displaced persons in Louisiana's storm-raked, flooded parishes;
- Mobile showers and even laundry service is being provided by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), among other of its contributions;
- Multiple volunteer agencies are providing crews to clean out mud from homes and apartments;· The Salvation Army has been operating 14 canteens in the disaster areas and has served an estimated 100,000 meals;
- The SBC, with 1,744 volunteers from 18 states, has prepared nearly 400,000 hot meals in addition to numerous other assistance provided; and
- The Red Cross, largest of all, reached a peak of 3,368 state and non-Louisiana people working the disaster, with a current total of 1,352; plus
- Identifying more than 10,260 homes damaged in the storms;
- Serving more than a million meals and snacks;
- Housing nearly 21,300 people already;
- Maintaining 32 feeding units at the peak, with 14 still active, and 85 mobile feeding sites, with 24 of those still functioning;
- Making 4,790 outreach contacts;
- 5,906 people being given ARC assistance, with more still expected; and
- More than 25,000 cleanup and comfort kits distributed.
Nofsker said thousands of volunteers from Louisiana and across the nation have been active in the aftermath of the storms' landfalls. Such efforts, while not so visible as others of higher profile, continue today in a variety of ways.
Among the more easily recognized aid agencies are the American Red Cross (ARC), which operated a number of shelters and alone has served 800,000 meals and snacks; and the Salvation Army, which also operated shelters and offered meals to individuals and families forced from their homes by the storms.
Other active agencies and groups include the American Baptist Church, SBC and UMCOR, which is the disaster response arm of United Methodists.
Among others are Catholic Charities, the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and American Baptist Men.
As just one relatively unknown and rarely mentioned example of activity in the disaster areas, the Mennonite Disaster Service has quietly and effectively concentrated on helping elderly persons by removing wind-sprung or felled trees from their property.
Some of the volunteer groups are consortiums of individual groups, such as the Church World Service, which represents 39 denominations and has active volunteers in each.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 22-Apr-2003 14:47:33