LA Conference of the UMC Disaster Response, Inc.
OUR MISSION: To repair and rebuild Louisiana homes impacted by disasters; aiding in the suffering of those that were uninsured or underinsured.
Hurricanes of 2005 and 2008
Four storms, four stories….LADRM has an incredible story because of people like you….volunteers rebuilding south Louisiana. Not the government, but people like you are changing lives, giving hope and showing God’s love to the survivors of these devastating storms.
South Louisiana was devastated by powerful hurricanes in 2005 and 2008. More than six years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there are still blue tarps on houses that haven’t been repaired and lives destroyed because they were uninsured or underinsured. The same is true for those impacted by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Louisiana Methodist Disaster Response Ministry funded by UMCOR and other agencies is using Case Management to do what the government hasn’t been able to accomplish. By identifying homeowners that need help, we purchase materials with the grant money and recruit volunteers from around the country and world. So far we have used 92,742 volunteers to rebuild New Orleans and South Louisiana due to the Hurricanes of 2005 and 2008.So
In the years of the ministry’s existence, disasters other than hurricanes have impacted Louisiana.
Tornados
In April 2010, a tornado damaged homes in Tallulah, LA. the mobile home of one uninsured survivor was destroyed. The ministry replaced the home using a grant from UMCOR. The home was dedicated on April 2, 2011. In March 2011, a tornado struck Rayne, LA. The ministry hired two individuals to assess the needs and search for resources to rebuild damaged homes. Volunteers are needed to help rebuild these homes in Rayne, LA.
Gulf Oil Crisis
The Gulf Oil Crisis in April 2010 presented a new challenge for the ministry. Clearly, the people of LA needed help coping with the uncertainty and the possiblity of a lost livelihood. The ministry hired a part-time youth director to develop activities providing a safe place for the youth to retreat from the stress experienced at home.
Floods
As a response to the flooding of 2011, the ministry provided the supplies for 1500 cleaning buckets to be distributed in the flooded areas.
Spiritual and Emotional Care
As a result of the Gulf Oil Crisis, a new ministry was developed to provide Spiritual and Emotional Care to individuals following a disaser. Approximately, one hundred persons from across the state of Louisiana were trained by UMCOR. Several teams were deployed to the Gulf Oil Crisis region to be a listening ear for those affected by the crisis and for those working at the BP Responder Compound. A team was deployed to Rayne to provide spiritual and emotional care to the surviviors of the Rayne tornado. In the future, teams will travel to other disaster areas once the affected area is safe and secured.
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Tornados
In April 2010, a tornado damaged homes in Tallulah. The mobile home of one uninsured survivor was destroyed. The ministry replaced the home using a grant from UMCOR. The home was dedicated on April 2, 2011. This Spring 2011, a tornado struck Rayne, LA. The ministry hired two individuals to assess the needs and search for resources to rebuild damaged homes.
Gulf Oil Crisis
The Gulf Oil Crisis in April 2010 presented a new challenge for the ministry. Clearly, the people of LA needed help coping with uncertainty and the possibly of a lost livelihood. The ministry hired a part-time youth director to develop activities providing a safe place for the youth to retreat from the stress experienced at home.
Floods
As a response to the flooding of 2011, the ministry provided the supplies for 1500 cleaning buckets to be distributed in the flooded areas.
A New Ministry — Spiritual and Emotional Care
As a result of the Gulf Oil Crisis, a new ministry was developed to provide Spiritual and Emotional Care to individuals following a disaster. Approximately, one hundred persons from across the state were trained by UMCOR. Several teams were deployed to the Gulf Oil Crisis region to be a listening ear for those affected by the crisis and for those working at the BP Responder Compound. In the future, teams will deploy to other disaster areas once the affected area is safe and secured
