UMCOR Bright Spots

IN TODAY’S ISSUE
June 18, 2008

Rita Recovery Continues To Make Homes Safe And Secure
Volunteers Do More Than Hammer And Nail
This Week's Quote
Recovery Stats
Mr. Willie Is Like a New Man…(slide show)

RITA RECOVERY CONTINUES TO MAKE HOMES SAFE AND SECURE

By Susan J. Meister, Domestic Disaster Response Correspondent

Nearly three years after Hurricane Rita damaged homes in southeast Texas, Alan Miller, construction supervisor for UMCOR partner Rita Recovery in Port Arthur, is very clear about his focus. “We want these homes to be safe and secure,” he asserts.

Family Advocate manager Nina Rios shares a smile with homeowner Mr. Forris in front of his FEMA trailer while volunteers work on his house in Port Arthur, Texas.
Photo by Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

“We’re not doing ‘extreme makeovers ” Miller continued. “We repair damaged roofs that have created problems because interiors have been exposed for nearly three years. We make sure doors and windows work and can be secured. We repair floor damage, especially for bathrooms, and redo wiring to eliminate the chance of fire.

“Our volunteers understand our mission,” he concluded.

Volunteer teams work in Beaumont and Port Arthur

In early May, Rita Recovery hosted two teams from the Missouri Conference. They tackled a wide variety of projects from demolition to roof and sheet rock repair.

The roof repair work conducted by the volunteer team from North Star UMC, Liberty, Missouri, was interrupted by an early morning rainstorm. Undaunted, they went inside a home in Beaumont to do sheet rock work. Later, they returned to Miss Guadalupe’s home around 6:30 p.m. and worked until dark. The team was back the next day to finish the work and enjoy a tasty Mexican lunch served by the grateful homeowner.

The volunteer team from North Star UMC, Liberty, Missouri, needed to tear down the carport damaged by a fallen tree before the carport and adjacent flat roof could be rebuilt.
Photo by Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

Later that evening, the team returned to Christ Covenant Church, just down the street from the Rita Recovery offices at Wesley UMC, Beaumont. Volunteer coordinator Beverly Antilley and fellow church members are active partners in the response since the hurricane in September 2005. They offer legendary hospitality to volunteer teams. Church members deliver full evening meals, and Antilley finds time to grace each pillow with candy while the teams are on the job.

On Wednesday, Rita Recovery construction supervisor Ward Smith directed the team to Miss Paula’s home where a carport was destroyed by a fallen tree. Before the carport and adjacent flat roof could be rebuilt and repaired, the old carport needed to be dismantled into the trailer Smith had delivered. The volunteers donned gloves and started working.

In the same week, a team from First UMC of Festus-Crystal City, Missouri, tackled floor repair at Mr. Forris’ home in Port Arthur. As Alan Miller explained, even through the termite damage was not directly hurricane-related, the home would not be safe for Mr. Forris’ grandchildren or his motorized chair if the floor was not addressed. While United Methodist volunteers worked in the bathroom and bedrooms, a team of Mennonites prepared to repair the roof and foundation. Family advocate Nina Rios explained that there was some urgency to the work because the homeowner’s FEMA trailer was due for removal at the end of the month.

Rita Recovery part of ecumenical effort

Volunteers tear out and replace a section of rotted roof for Miss Guadalupe at her home in Beaumont, Texas
Photo by Susan J. Meister/UMCOR

Rita Recovery is an active part of SETIO, the Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization, operating in Beaumont and Port Arthur. Other faith-based groups working on home repair include local offices of Catholic Charities, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran Disaster Response, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance; Local partners include Nehemiah’s Vision and other churches.

To learn more and to volunteer, visit the Rita Recovery web site, which includes a new feature, “A Week in the Life of a Team.”

To learn more or to volunteer, visit UMCOR partner web sites below.

UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
UM News Service
Mississippi Conference
Louisiana Conference
Texas Conference
Alabama-West Florida Conference

Our Work

Family advocate Fred Anderson (right) accepts a humanitarian award while fellow volunteer Ruby Nelson looks on.
Photo courtesy Rita Recovery

VOLUNTEERS DO MORE THAN HAMMER AND NAIL

When Fred Anderson contacted Rita Recovery director Angela Baker to volunteer to help the survivors of the hurricane, Baker asked him about his "hammer slingin' skills." Anderson laughed saying, "I told her they weren't too great, but I had a desire to help."

Anderson became one of eighteen volunteer family advocates (case managers) who have spent hundreds of hours over the past two and a half years interviewing and assisting homeowners in Beaumont, Orange and Port Arthur, Texas. Four of the Rita Recovery advocates were honored recently with awards as "2008 Humanitarians of the Year" at the annual Catholic Charities Breakfast with the Bishop event. Anderson shared the recognition with Leighia Barron, Ruby Nelson and John Hanes.

Anderson has met with over 100 families either at home or at an Intake Day held at a local church. "It feels good to help people, even difficult ones," he explained. "We are showing people that Rita Recovery, UMCOR and the United Methodist Church care about them and want to help."

Advocates receive training and encouragement

Carol Parsley, who began working with Rita Recovery as a volunteer family advocate in November, 2005, now serves as the Family Advocate Manager for the Beaumont office. She started the Orange County office and worked there with the American Red Cross until January 2008.

"I wanted to help people because God had saved us," she explained. "Our priority is the elderly, disabled, single parents, and those with low income. Often, the people we are helping tend to be 'stuck' - they are not organized and they often have many more issues than fixing their homes. Others thought they could do the repair work themselves."

Parsley offers high praise for her group of family advocates. "We offer training and set specific expectations," she said. "We have frequent meetings and use email to keep them up-to-date on resources available to their families. We work to let them know they are needed and appreciated."

Anderson appreciates Parsley as well. "She gets us motivated," he smiled. "She 'pumps us up.'"

This weeks quote

Recovery stats

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