Back to most recent news releases • Browse archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • Email this story

Hurricane Rita Update

Delores Koenig (R) and her daughter Danielle react to their destroyed possessions as they return to their flooded home in Chauvin, approximately 32km (20 miles) north of Louisiana's Gulf Coast, September 27, 2005. Photo: REUTERS/J.P. MOCZULSKI, courtesy www.alertnet.org

February 1, 2006

On September 24, while the country was still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita (the most intense hurricane on record for the Gulf of Mexico) made landfall between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson's Bayou, Louisiana. More than 100 storm-related deaths were reported.

Ten to twenty foot storm surges hammered Holly Beach, Hackberry and Cameron in Cameron Parish; Lake Charles, Sulphur, Westlake and Vinton in Calcasieu; and coastal areas of Terrebonne, La Fourche, and Plaquemines parishes -- also impacted by Hurricane Katrina. To date, 362,480 registrations for federal assistance have been received for Hurricane Rita-related losses in Louisiana.

Texas, although largely spared the storm surge and flooding that wracked Louisiana, sustained heavy damage to homes along the southeast quadrant near the Louisiana Border, including the Beaumont, Port Arthur, Newton, Jasper, and Orange areas. In addition, the region suffered major economic setbacks that are still being felt. Twenty-two counties received federal disaster declarations. To date, nearly 500,000 Texas residents have applied for government assistance for Hurricane Rita damages.

Assessment

Saltwater from the storm surge inundated thousands of acres of farmland and freshwater ponds across southern Louisiana, affecting rice and sugarcane crops, grazing pastures, oyster beds, crawfish ponds, and fishing equipment.

On the other side of the border in east Texas, tens of thousands of residents suffered major economic setbacks due to loss of income from oil refinery closings, small business losses, and fishing industry loss.

Identified populations who heavily depend upon agriculture, fishing, and small businesses for their livelihoods include: Indigenous Cajun and Creole families, Asian, Hispanic, African American, Garifuna, and members of the United Houma Indian Nation. There is also a concern for flood zoning and rebuilding codes that may create even more hardships for families already facing financial difficulties. In addition, many elderly and low-income persons are particularly at financial risk.

Material resource shipments:

To date, Church World Service has sent $416,687 in material assistance to help survivors of Hurricane Rita in Texas and Louisiana, including:

16,200 Church World Service Blankets, valued at $49,559

20,858 CWS "Gift of the Heart" Health Kits, valued at $271,148

4,045 CWS "Gift of the Heart" School Kits, valued at $52,455

975 CWS "Gift of the Heart" Baby Kits, valued at $34,125

200 CWS "Gift of the Heart" Cleanup Buckets, valued $9,000

2 UNICEF Recreation Kits, a $400 value

Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons (DRRLs) Organizing of Long-term Recovery Group Progress:

CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons (DRRLs) Heriberto Martinez, Joann Hale, and Pat Fanno have worked in Texas and Neil Molenaar in Louisiana; having invested a collective 162 days on-site with CWS partners working to bring together local long-term recovery structures and helping communities implement their care for evacuees. They are also identifying particularly vulnerable communities and those families requiring special assistance connecting to community recovery structures to access to long-term recovery services.

Louisiana:

In Cameron Parish with the greatest damage and already 182 maximum grant cases (households who likely lost everything and have received the maximum allotment of government assistance), Faith Cares, will address long-term recovery needs and will manage an unmet needs committee. CWS sent a $5,000 seed grant to the organization.

In Calcashieu Parish, which has 33 maximum grant cases to date, Human Services Resource Initiative has organized for long-term recovery. A CWS seed grant request is anticipated.

In Vernon Parish, Leesville Ministerial Alliance has begun to conduct needs assessments and established an unmet needs committee.

Still in organizing and planning phases are groups in Allen, Jefferson Davis, and Beauregard.

Vermillion (Parish) Faith Community of Care (VFCC), organized following Hurricane Lili (2002), is supporting case management and volunteer work-teams coordinated by UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) in the region, including key support to volunteers in coming months, facilitating housing, construction materials, equipment and tools, warehouse space, and other logistics for volunteer rebuilding projects. VFCC will take the lead on spiritual care and long-term recovery coordination among its 20 member organizations. A $5,000 seed grant has been made by CWS.

In Terrebonne and La Fourche parishes, TRAC is working with 800-plus families affected by Hurricane Rita and will help resource community re-building projects, particularly in vulnerable bayou areas, with emphasis on making homes hurricane resistant. An earlier CWS grant followed Hurricane Katrina.

The United Houma Nation also reports approximately 4,000 affected families in Terrebonne and adjacent parishes. A CWS grant is anticipated to aid their rebuilding efforts. Volunteers may call the UHN Tribal Office at (985) 475-6640. A grant of $2,500 ($5,000 total including Katrina) has been made for building materials to address the repair and rebuilding needs of more than 1,000 homes.

Lura Cayton continues her work with the Louisiana Interchurch Conference (LIC) to support faith community (local and judicatory levels) involvement in long-term recovery structures across the state for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The LIC is holding a statewide conference Jan. 30 - 31 at the Methodist Conference Center near Alexandria, inviting representatives from all of the long-term recovery groups statewide. CWS has provided a $3,500 grant to the LIC as scholarships for the recovery leadership who will attend.

"Simultaneous with the massive physical reconstruction/rebuilding work that is taking place, we're also seeing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on even more complex issues that have been plaguing Louisiana for decades," said Jim Grant, Director for VFCC. "Issues regarding race-relations, economic structures, and education directly affect the ability of a community to manage and/or mitigate the effects of a disaster. The work of CWS in developing long-term recovery groups across the state and the conference gathering at the end of the month are perfect places to begin tackling these more complex issues."

Texas:

Citizens Organized for Rita Relief (CORR) is providing long-term recovery in Jasper and Newton counties, with 254 cases currently open for assistance. The group may open as many as 800 more cases in the coming weeks, anticipating a large number of cases from the community of Weaverville. The group has established an unmet needs committee and has resourced and completed the building of a home in Newton. A CWS seed grant of $5,000 was sent to CORR.

Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization for Disaster Recovery, located in Beaumont, TX will address long-term recovery issues in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange County. The group continues to assess needs, and is engaged in intake for case management, as well as advocacy and outreach to thousands of Hispanic workers. The group has also developed an unmet needs committee. CWS has sent a $10,000 seed grant to the SE Texas Interfaith.

In Livingston, TX, a long-term recovery group is in the process of organizing to address needs throughout Polk County. A seed grant request is anticipated.

In Hemphill (Sabine County), another LTR group is organizing and will operate a medical camp, providing basic medical services for anyone, and hopes to outreach vulnerable families through the clinic.

Long-term recovery groups are organizing in Lufkin, Angelina, Tyler, St. Augustine, and Nacogdoches.

The Texas Conference of Churches is providing organizing and training expertise to many of the developing long-term recovery organizations in Texas. Church World Service has provided a $2,500 grant from Rita funds (total of $5,000 including Katrina funds) for the initial work. Further support is sought for the budget from CWS partners.

Spiritual and Emotional Care Support:

Available resources for support of clergy and lay caregivers are the Interfaith Trauma Response Training (ITRT) seminars and/or the professionals on the Spiritual and Emotional Care Resource team (SECR).

A combination ITRT and SECR support event was held in Houston for the Disciples of Christ regional clergy on November 9. It is anticipated that similar events will be planned for New Orleans and other sites in Louisiana, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Emergency Appeal:

This has been an information update to appeal #6281 – Hurricane Rita Response originally issued September 28, 2005. The appeal goal has increased to $115,000. CWS urges continued financial support for the long-term recovery work of DRRLs ($35,000), provision of support for caregivers through the ITRT or SECR team ($15,000), and in addition to the $33,500 in CWS seed grants already provided, CWS anticipates additional grants for 3-5 recovery groups and material shipment costs to total $31,500.

Contributions to support these efforts may be sent to your denomination or directly to:

Church World Service
Hurricane Rita Response -- #6281
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515

Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

Back to most recent news releases • Browse archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • Email this story