Appliances, Large, * Household (ANY/ALL Types) available at LTRC, Vermilion Faith Community of Care (Serves: Vermillion Parish)

“PROJECT A-MANNA:”

ST. PAUL’S – VFCC COVENANT

FOR HURRICANE RECOVERY

St. Paul’s, Abbeville, and the Vermilion Faith Community of Care, Inc. (VFCC) have covenanted together to help need worthy client households in Vermilion Parish continue in their efforts of recovery form the devastation caused by the two flood surges of Hurricane Rita, which struck all of southwest Louisiana just over two years ago. Vermilion Parish is the “forgotten parish of the forgotten hurricane.” It seems that all eyes remain on New Orleans, but there was widespread devastation all along the coastal parishes of southwestern Louisiana just a few short weeks after Katrina’s unprecedented devastating effects on the Gulf Coast and southeastern Louisiana, not just New Orleans.

Most people still don’t know that several entire communities in rural Vermilion Parish were devastated by the initial 17-foot tidal surge of Hurricane Rita (Henry, Intercoastal City, Esther, Forked Island, and Pecan Island) and several more entire communities much father inland – up to and even in spots beyond LA HWY #14 – were flooded by the second surge some 4 – 5 hours after the initial surge had subsided (Delcambre, Erath, and some subdivisions in and around Abbeville). Most people aren’t aware that over 6,500 homes in our very rural parish were either devastated by the initial tidal surge or flooded by the second surge of Hurricane Rita.

Vermilion Faith Community of Care, Inc. (VFCC) is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) faith-based community organization which was founded shortly after Hurricane Lili which struck Abbeville in October 2002 to assist with long-term recovery. Its office is based in the St. Paul’s Community Outreach Center across the street from St. Paul’s Church. VFCC has been continuously active since Hurricane Katrina struck southeastern Louisiana, first with sheltering and feeding over 1,500 Katrina evacuees to Vermilion Parish; and then with short-term relief and long-term recovery for our own citizens affected by Hurricane Rita.

St. Paul’s has been an active supporter of VFCC since its founding, providing free office space and volunteer services. Now St. Paul’s and VFCC have entered into a formal covenant to administer a $13,500 grant that St. Paul’s has recently received from the Community Foundation of Acadiana to purchase major appliances for needy households in Vermilion Parish. According to the “Project A-Manna” (a play on two words, the biblical “manna,” or bread from heaven, and the commercial “Amana,” the name brand of appliances) Covenant agreement, VFCC will screen and recommend need worthy client households to St. Paul’s, contributing $25 per appliance, and St. Paul’s for its part, after approving recommendations, will pay the remaining balance for the appliances.

Under the terms of the grant from the Community Foundation of Acadiana, St. Paul’s may purchase one or two major appliances per client household. With an average cost of $400 - $500 per appliance, St. Paul’s & VFCC hope to benefit 15 – 20 households with 1 or 2 major appliances. To date, “Project A-Manna” has purchased 15 major appliances (5 refrigerators, 3 stoves, 3 washers, 3 dryers, & 1 hot-water tank) for nine (9) households, and has expended $6,268.07 of the $13,500 grant.

Acadiana recovered from the devastating winds of Hurricane Lili in eighteen (18) months, quicker than the expected two-year recovery time. The recovery time for Acadiana from the devastating effects of flooding and water damage is three – five years. We have just completed year two of this long-term process. Please don’t forget us. We still have a long way to go and will still need financial funding and skilled volunteers (contractors, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and painters) for several more years.

As people receive funds, either from insurance claims, from FEMA, or from the Road Home program, please remember that the funds they receive are rarely adequate to pay for the required work, nor can they easily find and afford the skilled labor to do the required jobs. The price of building materials has almost tripled since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The price of skilled labor has nearly multiplied four times. The availability of skilled labor is almost non-existent for the people with the least means to afford it and yet with the most need for adequate, safe, secure housing.

All donations to VFCC are tax-deductible and may be mailed to VFCC, P. O. Box 554, Abbeville, LA 70511-0554.

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