We just wrapped up our third week of Hurricane Katrina Relief down here in New Orleans. To date, we’ve helped over 50 families in the recovery of their homes. Our focus is on assisting low income individuals, the elderly, and those who have no insurance and employees of our sponsors who have supported our cause over the years and have made it possible for us to be down here. We have reached households in Algiers, Arabi, Avondale, Chalmette, Gretna, Harahan, Jefferson Parish, Kenner, Lakeshore, Metairie, St. Bernard Parish, Terrytown, Westwego, the 8th Ward and the upper 9th Ward in Louisiana; and Kiln and Birdtown in Mississippi.

Every day brings a new adventure for the LL&W team. Beginning at 7am, we leave our house barge and assess the priorities for the given day. Once we decide upon and reach the affected household, we suit up from head to toe in white Tyvek suits (which function as a barrier against mold), respirators, gloves and steel toed boots. The majority of homes we are entering have been flooded, and as a result are infested with hazardous mold and bacteria.

We typically assist these families through stages. First, we take out all of the heavy furniture and major appliances. Then we begin tearing out all the drywall and insulation (which is now infected and rapidly growing black mold). This typically takes a team about half a day, allowing us to complete two houses a day. The next phase is to drop off supplies to “rebuild” the interior of the home. Through the strong contributions of our sponsors we are able to provide such materials as shingles, drywall, plywood and nails, and sometimes even help with installation. To date, we are still one of the only organizations down here providing these services at no cost to the owners of these homes.

Calvin’s Story
This week we had the opportunity to work with some amazing individuals, including Calvin Segura. On August 28, Calvin and his wife evacuated New Orleans and went to Houston, TX. Because they were uncertain as to how long they were going to be displaced, he and his wife had to rent an apartment in Houston. Finally, on September 9th, Calvin was able to return to New Orleans to begin working again and to see what was left of his house.

From the outside, it seemed hopeful compared to other houses we’ve seen. Once we entered, however, it was a different story. Almost nothing in Calvin’s home was salvageable. So for two days, he worked right along side of us, sorting through all of his belongings, and saving as much as possible.

At the end of our time with Calvin, we could see the hope restored in his eyes. What he once thought was a task that would take months for him to accomplish on his own, turned into a team effort, and in less than 48 hours, Calvin felt he had something to work with again - a clean slate for his wife to come home to.

In speaking with Calvin, he said he hopes to one day write a book about storms and the effect they have on people’s lives. He sees storms as a life-strength forcing people to make decisions that they may not have made otherwise. For example, his brother is now seeking employment in Atlanta, where he relocated due to Hurricane Katrina. Through his book he wants to educate people to always be ready, mentally and physically, for any kind of storm.

Calvin, who lost most of what he owned, continuously supplied our crew with drinks and whatever else he had to give us. He said, “You got me back in my home. My wife can come home now and we can start all over again – this is the least I can do for you.”

We Thank You!
We are so lucky to be able to be down here helping people like Calvin every day. Through your contributions, we are able to witness history in the making, and we can’t thank you enough for giving us this opportunity. This has been a life changing experience for all of us on the crew, but most importantly, has brought us down here to renew a sense of hope and home to over 50 families. Again, thank you for your contributions, without which we would not have the opportunity to directly and positively be a part of this monumental effort.

From all of us at Living Lands & Waters, Thank you!