The region where I live has been hammered this spring by disaster.  The first tragedy happened in West (an hour south of the metroplex) when a fertilizer plant exploded, killing 14 people and leveling homes.  Shortly after that, a series of heavy spring storms generated tornadoes in Granbury, Cleburne and Ennis (just outside the DFW area) killing 6 people and destroying many homes, including a neighborhood of homes built by Habitat for Humanity.  Soon after, a massive tornado hit Moore, OK killing 24 people with another wave of tornadoes a week later that would kill 19 in the same region.  It is no wonder that the Red Cross and other relief agencies are worried that their volunteers might ‘burnout’ in the face of so many tragedies.

A truckload of appliances and furniture…fridge, range, washer, dryer, beds, nightstands, dresser, dinette, couch and sofa all brand new and all in two F-150 trucks.

Let me cut right to the point for this short post…rebuilding efforts are just beginning for all of these communities and it is going to take extra help from all of us to keep the process moving quickly and smoothly.  On Friday I took a day off from the office to head down to West to help distribute appliances.  The Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc. had shipped a truckload of refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, sofas, beds, dinette sets, dressers, nightstands and other items to West.  All of these items were brand new and had been purchased with donor dollars.  The items were all going to FEMA approved residents in “Zone 3” who had lost everything.  With demolition crews just moving in to clear slabs we delivered the appliances to storage units and the homes of relatives.  Many times we saw just a few boxes of items that homeowners were able to salvage from their homes.

As most of you can imagine, recovering from a disaster like this is a long and frustrating process where many tears are shed.  Every time I have been on location for a disaster like this I have learned something new about the process of rebuilding.  I was reminded on this trip that many insurance claims do not include the cost of having the slab cleared for reconstruction.  That work alone can cost $10,000-$30,000.  Homeowners also have to deal with the frustration of dealing with insurance companies and a host of state and federal organizations.  It is an expensive, time consuming process that many have to manage while still working full-time jobs and raising families.  It was also my understanding that roughly 1/3 of the residents in “Zone 3” didn’t have home owner’s insurance because they were living on a fixed income.

The people in West, along with residents in the other disaster sites could really use a helping hand.  To be honest, the best help you can provide is cash.  It is easy to transport and can be used for a variety of purposes.  Here are three ways you can help out:

1. The Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc. is an efficient, well-run organization.  They are planning to send at least one more truckload of brand new appliances and furniture, possibly more.  You can donate funds and they will put your money into the relief effort at West, Moore or where ever there is a need.  This group works with local churches that manage the distribution process in their own community so there is minimal overhead cost involved in getting donations to those who need them.
2. The West Church of Christ has been extremely active in their community, along with other churches and relief agencies.  West is a small community and the volunteers from the church know many of the people they are working with.  Funds donated to the church are managed by a board of elders who are accountable for the money.  Cash donations have been used to help fulfill immediate needs resulting from property damage and job loss.  Donations can be mailed to: West Church of Christ – P.O. Box 246 – West, TX 76691  I was very impressed with the volunteers I met while working in West on Friday.
3. If you’re in the area you can volunteer to work.  Not only are you helping out by distributing goods or cleaning up property, but when you volunteer with a FEMA approved organization your volunteer hours earn reimbursement money for the community from FEMA.  (Here’s an article from Alabama following the 2011 tornadoes about FEMA reimbursement.)  Volunteers can contact the Long-term Recover Center (254) 826-7550 to volunteer.

Appliances ready to be picked up in the West Community Center. The entire truckload was distributed in just over 24 hours.

Obviously there is lots to do here in Texas and up north in Oklahoma.  Hurricane season is just firing up as well and we are all praying for a calm one.  There are a good number of volunteers who have been working selflessly for the last several months helping others.  Let’s get in there and lend them a helping hand this summer!

I appreciate you reading this and hope that you’ll get involved with one of these efforts or spend some time volunteering this summer in your community.