A Gathering of 'Momentum' in Pearlington and Gulfport
Release Date: July 25, 2007
Release Number: 1604-566
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BILOXI, Miss. -- The first nails have been driven, the first walls have been erected, and the first sets of permanent steps have been installed. Most important to families in Pearlington, work has started on brand new homes.
More than 2,000 volunteers from the Momentum youth conference descended upon the Mississippi Gulf Coast Monday. They kicked-off construction of 17 homes in the Katrina-ravaged community of Pearlington and started home-repair work and community clean-up projects in Gulfport. The volunteers plan to complete all 17 homes by July 26.
Volunteers have also started distributing 5,000 bags of groceries to residents in the Pearlington and Gulfport communities, donated by the nonprofit organization Convoy of Hope.
When the semi-trucks loaded with groceries reached their docking point, there was no denying the joy in the eyes of Pearlington residents. The people in this tiny community have been through a lot following Hurricane Katrina but these trucks embody exactly what organizers hoped they would - hope.
Momentum volunteers teamed with Convoy of Hope and Voluntary Agency Liaisons from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to rebuild homes and hope in the Pearlington and Gulfport communities.
The volunteers are "a nice complement to what we have going on" according to Bob Putnam, a volunteer coordinator who works in the Pearlington Recovery Center and specializes in construction. Putnam arrived in Pearlington five months after the storm and never left. "You couldn't pay me to do this. Now that I'm working with youths instead of adults it's that much more fulfilling. Getting them to take personal pride and ownership - it's meaningful for them."
Seventeen houses are scheduled to be completed this week in Pearlington. Putnam carefully considers each project but wants to focus more on the ultimate goal. "We don't want to always worry about cosmetics outside; we want to worry about getting people inside," said Putnam.
Dan O'Deens, project director for Momentum, wants this experience to touch the people of these communities but also the lives of the youth volunteers. "I hope they develop a passion for God and compassion for people. We hope it leaves a permanent mark on the hearts of these young people so they will stay in crisis or disaster work and help people when they're down."
For more information on the 2007 Momentum Youth Conference, visit their website at www.buildmomentum.org. For more information about the nonprofit organization Convoy of Hope, visit their website at www.convoyofhope.org.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 25-Jul-2007 16:57:19