FEMA Contractors Distribute Gifts to Children in Trailer Park
Release Date: December 19, 2006
Release Number: 1603-586
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Last year's devastating storms caused a lot of grief for everyone in their paths, but children were some of the most severely affected. To bring a smile to their faces this holiday season, MLU Services Inc., a contractor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), played the role of Santa for many of the children who lost so much to the hurricanes.
MLU Services' employees handed out nearly $29,000 worth of toys to more than 500 children at the FEMA Diamond travel trailer park in Plaquemines Parish on Dec. 14.
"We have been fortunate enough to have contracts, and we are doing well, so this is our way of giving back to this community that has been devastated. Children are having the hardest time with this, and we want to see their faces light up and to help in the recovery," Eric Ulm, a program manager for MLU Services, Inc., said.
The company decided to hold the toy giveaway at the Diamond travel trailer site after consulting with FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaison Verdie Culpepper about which communities would benefit the most from the toy distribution. Culpepper works with faith-based and nonprofit organizations on long-term recovery efforts by connecting those who have resources with communities that have needs.
"Plaquemines has been hurting terribly. The largest trailer site in Plaquemines is in Diamond, and it is the one with the most kids, so I connected MLU with the nonprofit organization Save the Children," Culpepper said. "This organization has a building at the site, authorized by FEMA, to house community projects for the trailer residents."
Many Diamond trailer park families in financial straits due to the storms benefited from the toy giveaway. They said they were very grateful for the gifts because they could not afford what they wanted for their children.
MLU Services' subcontractors donated $13,000 to buy the toys. The company, which matched the subcontractors' contributions, spent $26,000 on toys at Wal-Mart.
"We got an additional $2,600 in toys because Wal-Mart gave us a 10 percent discount," Ulm said.
Headquartered in Georgia , MLU Services Inc. currently has a contract with FEMA for travel trailer maintenance in Jefferson Parish. Before this, the company provided its services, including the installation of trailers in Plaquemines Parish, as a subcontractor since October 2005.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 19-Dec-2006 10:28:55