AHAH Monthly Program Update - Louisiana Hurricane Relief (January 2022)

LOUISIANA HURRICANE RELIEF UPDATE JANUARY 2022

HURRICANE IDA RELIEF TOTAL IMPACT

LAUR A/DEL LIVES IMPACTED 2,467125 VOLUNTEERS TA2,467 VOLUNTEERS 9,864

715 VOLUNTEER DAYS VOLUNTEER HOURS 145 JOBS COMPLETED LIVES IMPACTED

13,674

Photos: (Top) Volunteers mucking and gutting a home; (Left) Tree removal JOBS COMPLETED

115

239

SW LOUISIANA TOTAL IMPACT 131

VOLUNTEERS

20,735

VOLUNTEER HOURS

9,061

IMPACTEDmucking Photos: LIVES (Top) Volunteers and gutting a home; (Left) Tree removal

187

SITES COMPLETED

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Ida Hurricane Relief Program Transitions to Long Term Recovery In the weeks leading up to the holidays, volunteers completed response work in the underserved communities of Ponchatoula, Kenner and LaPlace.

Since beginning work in the area in September 2021, we have focused our efforts on the immediate needs of the community, completing 38 muck and guts of homes, 13 mold sanitations and 45 tree and debris removal sites.

Our team is now back on the ground in LaPlace, with January dedicated to trainings which ensure an efficient transition to long term recovery work such as home repairs and local mitigation efforts. During this time staff will also focus on building up a queue of vulnerable households in need of home repairs using a prioritization process which reflects our increased focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

We are now accepting volunteer applications for February 2022!

Laura and Delta Hurricane Relief Program Wraps Up in SW Louisiana After over a year of supporting communities affected by Hurricanes Laura and Delta, our work in Calcasieu Parish came to an end in December. Thanks to support from donors, partners and volunteers, the program supported over 9,000 individuals on their road to recovery.

The initial team focused on response activities including hazard tree removal and roof tarping. In December 2020, we wrapped up our chainsaw and tarping work and started roof repairs, completing 22 resilient roofs. This resilient roof project utilizes materials and construction techniques which ensures the structures are fortified and ready should a future disaster hit the area.

In the final phase of the program, our focus transitioned to interior repairs, helping to bring homes to a liveable standard. Between July and December, the team completed nine home repairs. These efforts will provide these families with safe, functional homes, helping restore a sense of normalcy.

Disaster Profile - Hurricane Ida On August 29, 2021, almost exactly a year after twin hurricanes Laura and Delta hit Louisiana, category 4 Hurricane Ida made landfall over the Port Fourchon community in Louisiana. First observed as a tropical depression on August 26, after passing over Cuba as a category 1 hurricane, Ida underwent a rapid intensification, progressing to a category 4 hurricane by the time it made landfall. Wind speeds exceeding 150 mph were sustained for a total of 6 hours, twice the duration of the 125 mph sustained winds of Hurricane Katrina.

Photo: Volunteers working on mucking and gutting a home

Our Work Our Disaster Assessment and Response Team (DART) arrived two days after Hurricane Ida made landfall to assess the damage. With a team already in Louisiana responding to Hurricanes Laura and Delta that struck the area in 2020, All Hands and Hearts were uniquely positioned to assist the communities affected by Hurricane Ida. Eight days after the storm rolled through, we had volunteers in the field working to help with the clean up. From there, we connected with long-standing partners in the area for a coordinated relief effort. The response phase focused on immediate needs such as mucks and guts, mold sanitation, debris and tree removal and roof tarping.

From January 2022 through August 2022, our focus will be on interior home repairs, including flooring, cabinetry and siding. We are looking to plug our volunteer labor force and project management expertise into local hurricane mitigation initiatives. This builds upon our successful wildfire mitigation pilot in California, and it recognizes the reality of the environment's role in natural disasters.

About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters.

We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure.

Our Partners

Supported by a grant from The Volunteer Louisiana Commission in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row.

This year only seven percent of rated nonprofits received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.

allhandsandhearts.org