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Red Cross Helps Texas Couple toward Long-Term Recovery
The Whites rebuild their home and their lives with help from the Red Cross
Wednesday, August 29, 2007 — When Nathan and Ora White evacuated their Beaumont, TX home and headed to Livingston, TX, they left without knowing whether the house that they bought with their life savings and had lived in for the past 14 years would still be standing when they got back.
When the Whites returned to Beaumont, their house was in ruins. The roof sustained major damage, causing water damage and leaks. The roof was being supported by 2 x 4s, and they had to cover it with tarps to prevent further damage. The house also sustained structural damage from the storm, and the foundation was uneven. Despite the damage and lack of electricity, they returned to their home after the storm.
The relentless stress caused by their dire living conditions was taking its toll on the couple when Mrs. White heard about the Hurricane Recovery Program. She called the Red Cross for assistance.
Since June 2006, Kathy Bowes, Red Cross Community Recovery Specialist, has been helping the Whites move forward on their road to recovery. Kathy helped the Whites apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission. She also facilitated meetings with Nehemiah's Vision. They inspected the White’s house and determined that they would need to completely rebuild the home.
Since a home was a stumbling block in their recovery plan, Kathy applied for Means to Recovery. Today the Whites are preparing to move into temporary housing while their new home is being built. During that process, the Red Cross is providing the Whites with Means to Recovery resources for rental housing, as well as funding for moving their belongings from their old house to the rental home.
With a newly updated and restored home, the Whites will be able to move forward, begin to rebuild their lives and reach a recovery for the long-term.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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