HURRICANE ISAAC – 2012
La Place, Louisiana

THE SITUATION: Hurricane Isaac was a destructive and deadly storm that slammed the Gulf Coast. Louisiana was among the hardest hit. CAN-DO’s assessment shows approximately 7,000 homes were flooded, but only 10% of the families had flood insurance. Unfortunately, one month after the storm, we also assessed that most of the large multi-national relief organizations had already departed, leaving residents feeling abandoned and donors unsure of where their money can go to make a real difference. Nearly half the homes in the state lost electricity, and 60,000 homes were damaged from the storm – that’s more than four times than estimated.

WHERE WE WORKED: CAN-DO’s network of volunteers two months on the ground in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana collaborating with local residents, organizations, community and parish leaders to help develop innovative methods in order to speed-up aid and effectively provide what was needed most to residents.

Our purpose was for the CAN-DO team to show the residents of LaPlace, Louisiana that they had not been forgotten, and to illustrate how local companies, vendors and volunteers from across south Louisiana could rally around this neglected community to show their support and provide immediate relief.

WHAT WE DID:

• Set up command center to distribute tools, cleaning supplies, clothing, meals, toys, emergency supplies and disaster packs to neighborhoods in LaPlace, LA.

• Organized volunteer teams to work in unison with the parish, assisting in debris removal from LaPlace resident’s yards and organized trash pick-up from state hired contractors. By state law, hired contractors cannot enter resident’s property without written permission, which is why debris sat for weeks on front lawns while residents were displaced. To remedy this, CAN-DO rented bobcats, tractors and enlisted local volunteers including LSU students to move the debris from front lawns to the street so contractors could legally and quickly remove the debris. This strategy saved homeowners the stress of having to do it themselves and allowed them to begin the rebuilding process.

• Aided in demolition and rebuilding of flooded homes.

• Cleaned and dehumidified homes from mold and mildew.

• Worked with FEMA to help relocate families displaced by Isaac.

• Provided security at neighborhood entrances and throughout neighborhoods in LaPlace to protect from looting.

• Organized a neighborhood block party for the residents of LaPlace and teamed up with the New Orleans Saints to help us distribute new toys, clothes, and food, as well as boosting the moral of hundreds of residents’ effected by Isaac. (see video above)

• Christmas day, CAN-DO has partnered with Domino’s Pizza, Celebration Church and residents of the local community on distribute toys to children who lost everything after Hurricane Isaac.

Special thank you to donor Felicia Stallard who was instrumental in making this project possible! Also, thank you to Matthais Davis (our fixer and a resident of LaPlace) for his trust and dedication to us, and the betterment of his community.

“Words cannot express how much our community appreciates the work of your organization. The donations of time, equipment, and materials has made a difference in the lives of our citizens and helped government agencies stretch taxpayer dollars.”
-NATALIE ROBOTTOM, PRESIDENT OF ST. JOHN PARISH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

SAINTS PLAYERS JOIN INTERNATIONAL RELIEF NETWORK TO HELP LAPLACE RESIDENTS

Courtney Roby, Jed Collins, Justin Drescher, Jabari Greer and other Saints players join CANDO.ORG to help Hurricane Isaac victims

LaPlace, LA., September 24, 2012 – CAN-DO.org (Compassion into Action Network – Direct Outcome Organization), an international disaster relief organization, will be joined by New Orleans Saints players Courtney Robie, Jed Collins, Justin Drescher, Jabari Greer and others to be confirmed, alongside numerous volunteers on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012 to distribute toys, cleaning supplies and necessity-filled backpacks, assist with cleanup, and feed LaPlace residents recovering from Hurricane Isaac.

Local vendors will be passing out hot meals, including Bear’s Restaurant of Covington, Mr. Ed’s of Bucktown, and Wow Wingery of Covington. Award-winning musicians will perform for the families and help draw attention to the area’s ongoing needs.

CAN-DO’s network of volunteers have spent the last few weeks on the ground in St. John the Baptist Parish collaborating with local residents, organizations, community and parish leaders to help develop innovative methods in order to speed-up aid and effectively provide what is most needed right now. CAN-DO’s assessment shows approximately 7,000 flooded homes, but only 10% with flood insurance. Unfortunately, the larger multi-national relief organizations have already departed, leaving the residents feeling abandoned and donors unsure of where their money can go to make a real difference.

CAN-DO’s purpose is to show the residents of LaPlace that they have not been forgotten, and to illustrate how local companies, vendors and volunteers from across south Louisiana are rallying around the community to show their support. The participation of the New Orleans Saints not only provides a much needed boost in morale, it sets an example of what one person CAN-DO to help a neighbor.

CAN-DO, will also be offering a front row seat to watch the progress and success of the CRC’s (Community Revitalization Center) via the website can-do.org – as they launch VirtualVolunteer.TV . VirtualVolunteer is the first interactive humanitarian based service that enables individuals, donors, sponsors, and organizations to participate virtually in live humanitarian projects and critical disaster and recovery zones. The purpose of this live feed from the field is to provide a cutting-edge solution that not only connects our donors and sponsors directly with the recipients, but also gives our donors a sense of confidence that their donations are making a real impact and not being squandered by bureaucratic red tape, inflated budgets and unjustified salaries. Participants can even chat live with individuals whose lives they have touched.

CAN-DO expects to continue its recovery efforts for several weeks and continues to solicit donations of volunteer time, goods and services, and money, to effect timely and transparent aid to Isaac victims.

CAN-DO.ORG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to working on the local level to provide lasting (self-sustaining) solutions, with full accountability, efficiency, and results to some of the world’s most critical problems. From natural disasters to humanitarian crises, CAN-DO is committed to getting aid to the people who need it in a timely and transparent manner, maximizing the impact of the aid and services provided, while allowing its supporters to see the impact they are making through their donations. CAN-DO goes anywhere in the world and does whatever it takes to get the job done.

This event will be streaming LIVE at: https://can-do.org/