In Orange Grove, we helped quite a few families since last Fall. We completed quite a few homes needing everything from simple drywall or roof repairs to major weeks-long efforts to demolishing houses so new ones could be built. We closed about 40-50 cases in our big mid-fall, winter and early spring surges of volunteers.
Even though the Louisville office closed all the village in Mississippi except one, saying the work was done, or the money has been spent (two years early in Mississippi??) cases have come to us until the end. There are twenty messages sitting on the phone in the Case Manager Liaison's office. In addition Here are a few more cries for help:
- Brenda and her husband were employed in good jobs in the Gulfport area living in a rent-to-own home. Her husband suffered a heart attack ten years ago and Brenda had a stroke right before Katrina. They safely evacuated but when they returned they found their home so badly damaged the DOT bought them out.
Like so many, they bought a mobile home at an outrageous premium, only to find it had significant damage from Katrina. They moved into the home in 2006, spent more money repairing it only to have a house fire that partly damaged it again. The husband made a make-shift repair of the roof and the live there still.
Brenda now has Hodgkin’s disease and has had another stroke. She suffers seizures and fell in the kitchen severely burning herself at the stove. The husband now has to stay with her 24 hours a day that means a full time job is not possible. They are in serious financial trouble but have been unable to secure funding for rewiring and structure repair from any aid agencies due to the depletion of funds (Red Cross, Salvation Army and others have spent all the donated funds.)
- Katie lives in Ocean Springs. She has managed to complete about half her home but is out of resources, stamina and hope.
- Jannelle was referred to us for help. She needs drywall work on her ceilings, doors, toilet and appliances installed. The cost is about a thousand dollars.
- Andy was referred to us, he needs painting, doors installed, some shelves, and other work.
- Victor needs to have help installing flooring.
- Connie needs help with her siding, windows and interior wall repair
- Vaughn needs a new roof installed.
The sad thing is all these are only a few of the cases of unmet need. They are either home-owner funded or were not able to get their applications in while the other aid agencies had funds. They are referred to us because of our covenant with our church, to hold off spending our millions of dollars of donated funds until the other agencies were spent out.
As I complete my last few days in the Gulf, the church-approved plan (Appendix 25 GAC 4/2006) keeps coming to mind. In it we state that we are to be in the Gulf until 2011, and spend about $27,000,000. Within this document the a long-term strategic allocation plan and supporting principals are enumerated:
“Funds received in the 2005 Hurricane account will only be used for Katrina/Rita/Wilma recovery. Any subsequent disasters in the same area will be responded to out of OGHS funds, or, if the disaster is large a new and separate appeal will be issued. Funds from the 2005 Hurricane account will not be diverted to other responses. (emphasis is mine)“
“This long-term recovery program is designed to operate for five to seven years in Mississippi, and eight to twelve years in Louisiana.”
Among the enumerated PDA principles these stand out:
“4. PDA will work from a long-term strategic allocation and will invest funds based on the long-range plan. All interest earned will be returned to the ongoing recovery. Funds received for 2005 Hurricanes will not be used for other disasters. “
(Question: What is the status of the funds? Were the funds invested in rock-solid instruments such as Treasury bills (as most investment bankers and brokers do with their own money) to protect them against adverse market fluctuations?)
“5. Funds received from individuals and congregations are spent after, and do not replace, government money and/or funds from the Red Cross and other “first responder agencies” that are available in the early stages of a disaster.”
On the 'questions and answers' page:
‘Is there a reason that only $4 million of the $20 million received has been expended?
“Yes. The donation-to-expense timetable is purposely front-loaded to prevent PDA’s long –term response from falling short as media headlines about the disaster fade. PDA funds follow and do not replace governmental funds that are available in the early days of the disaster.
“Is there a plan for the expenditure of the remaining funds?
Yes. We have developed a long-term strategic allocation taking us through 2013.
“Is there a plan for the expenditure of the remaining funds?
Yes. We have developed a long-term strategic allocation taking us through 2013. “
* * *
Are there any more questions?
Peace.
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