main_phone: -> (985) 477-6999 ext 224 (To Volunteer)

notes: Habitat for Humanity's Gulf Coast Recovery program needs volunteers to help with rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast . HFH is looking for energetic volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of hurricane-affected families, meet other people dedicated to eliminating substandard housing, and rebuild communities in areas devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Volunteers, either skilled or unskilled, are needed to help with framing, roofing and painting. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. -> Hurricane Gustav and Ike Update Update as of Thursday, September 18th at 4:30: Unfortunately, I must now add Hurricane Ike to this update. While Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas, the southern region of the Bayou Area Habitat service area received devastating flooding. After Hurricane Rita in 2005, it was estimated that Terrebonne Parish (where the Bayou Blue subdivision is located) had approximately 10,000 homes, businesses and structures in the southern part of the parish take on flood waters. Current estimates for Hurricane Ike is that over 15,000 have taken on water and some estimates are upwards of 20,000. Needless to say, we have been getting quite a few calls. Fortunately, no Bayou Area Habitat homes are included in those numbers. Like many in this area, we are still assessing the needs while also still continuing to build for those affected by Katrina and Rita in 2005. We are anticipating an increase to our current building pace; however, this pace will be based on the amount of funding that is received and the amount of volunteers that offer their services. If someone would like to donate funding, please email: Jarrett Hawkins at: jhawkins@bayouhabitat.org or call at (985) 447-6999 ext 227 To volunteer, please email: Aimee Bourgeois at: labourgeois@bayouhabitat.org or call at (985) 477-6999 ext 224. ============================================================= Update as of Friday, September 12 at 11:00 AM: As you can see from the picture above, not all Bayou Area Habitat homes survived Hurricane Gustav. This home belongs to Shanell Henderson and is located at 811 Church Street in Thibodaux. Despite the total loss, Shanell, who has been in the home since 2002, has a great outlook even though she was told by FEMA that they will be unable to assist her. We are staying in touch with Shanell and assisting her through the insurance process. Other than Shanell’s home, Bayou Area Habitat homes faired well as approximately 60 – 70% of homes had no damage at all and of the homes that did have damage it was limited to siding, shingle and soffits. For the many volunteers who came to work as part of Hurricane Recovery from Katrina and Rita in Bayou Blue, the subdivision looks great considering what took place. Furthermore, the office regained power on Tuesday and is up and running. All in all, things could have been much worse for Bayou Area Habitat and this region, but we still have plenty of work to do. The staff is currently working on a needs assessment for the area as we have begun to get quite a few phone calls from families in need of housing following Gustav and we also anticipate many calls because of the flooding that is currently taking place with Ike. We are extremely grateful for all of the prayers that we received for us to get through Gustav and we are additionally grateful for the donors and volunteers who have contacted us. If someone would like to donate funding, please email [ Jarrett Hawkins ] or call at (985) 447-6999 ext 227 or if someone would like to volunteer, please email [ Aimee Bourgeois ] or call at (985) 477-6999 ext 224. Thanks again for your prayers and support and please keep the Texas and Southwestern Louisiana coast in your prayers with Hurricane Ike currently on track to make landfall there. ============================================ Update as of Saturday, September 6 at 2:00 PM: I have been able to make it back to the area to check on my, other family members and Bayou Area Habitat homes, and while the damage to homes and businesses is not overwhelming, it is still very bad. There were too many power lines snapped in half or trees leaning on them to count. The current report is that by October 1, all power will be returned, but as I type this I am hearing about more and more areas with electricity being returned. All in all, I thought the damage would be much worse, but the damage was still bad enough that Bayou Area Habitat will be extremely busy with many, many phone calls for assistance and I am positive that the staff will be ready. As for the Bayou Area Habitat office building, one office had a window broken with a good bit a water getting in and even worse, two big lights in the front office are filled with water from a roof leak I presume. On a good note, the ReStore appears to have survived without damage and will be open for business once electricity on returned. Since I have been getting quite a few emails about the subdivision in Bayou Blue, it did do fairly well as there were quite a few homes with siding and shingle damage but nothing that appeared structural. Residents were finally allowed back into Terrebonne Parish Friday morning, so we will likely starting hearing more about damage. I hope to get a report on all of our Bayou Area Habitat homes very soon. Please keep this area, and all areas along the Gulf Coast, in your prayers as the current projected path of Hurricane Ike is not very favorable for Bayou Area Habitat or many other Habitat affiliates along the coast. Jeremy =============================================== Update as of Tuesday, September 2 at 8:30 AM: I, and the entire staff, are all currently still out of the area as no one is being allowed back into the area with Terrebonne Parish not allwoing residents back in until Friday at noon. Power is out for up to a couple of weeks according to some reports and cell phone usage is in and out. From the reports that I have recieved, none of the homes in the subdividision in Bayou Blue received any major damage, although there are many with shingles, siding and some awning damage. As of now, unless I, or another staff member get word, about Bayou Area Habitat homes, there will likely not be another update until early next week as staff will have to also assess the damage to their and their families homes. All in all, I think we have come through this with mostly bumps and bruises, but we will not know the full story until the entire staff is back. Thanks for the prayers and best wishes, Jeremy ========================================================= Habitat for Humanity's Gulf Coast Recovery program needs volunteers to help with rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast . HFH is looking for energetic volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of hurricane-affected families, meet other people dedicated to eliminating substandard housing, and rebuild communities in areas devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Volunteers, either skilled or unskilled, are needed to help with framing, roofing and painting. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
website: -> http://www.bayouhabitat.org/
areas_served: Bayou Areas -> Bayou Areas - Terrebonne & Lafourche Parishes