Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria 6 month update

Rebuilding houses and hope “Ministry in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and Irma involves special challenges and opportunities. We are excited to have quality local partners with which to work,” Laarman said. “Those who volunteer with DRS on the island will have interesting experiences and learn a lot.”

What has been and what will be happening? In the first six months after the hurricanes, your donations to World Renew have already • Provided home repair services in eight communities in Texas and Puerto Rico • Connected 480 individuals and families with local Linda stood on her front porch crying tears of joy as she saw her support to help them in their recovery in Florida new home being built. and Texas through unmet needs assessments. “The floor doesn’t move anymore!” she said. • Helped 26 families clean-out their damaged homes. Linda, a single mom in Puerto Rico, was raising her five • Set strong foundations throughout Florida, kids by herself and worked hard to save enough money to Texas, and Puerto Rico to provide long-term buy a piece of land with a small, two-bedroom home. When recovery services for hurricane survivors and their Hurricane Maria hit, the family’s house was destroyed. Linda communities. was left feeling lost and hopeless, and because she was now • Provided financial grants to local recovery groups homeless, she became in danger of losing custody of her kids. Recovery will take months for some survivors. For “Thankfully, an organization with whom World Renew others, it will be years. Because of the magnitude Disaster Response Services (DRS) is working, Adventist of the destruction, combined with how widespread Agency for Development and Resource Assistance (ADRA), a geographic area the hurricanes hit, World Renew got in touch with her to ask about her needs. Soon, a team of anticipates being involved in recovery efforts for volunteers from ADRA and World Renew DRS were able to three years or more throughout Texas, Florida, and rebuild a three-bedroom for Linda’s family where she can once Puerto Rico. again live with hope and raise her children in their new home.” The generous donations given after the storms will provide support and needs assessments for Hurricanes Irma and Maria tore through Puerto Rico in local recovery groups as they assist the survivors September 2017, interrupting lives and destroying homes across in their communities meeting their own identified the island. “Thanks to the generous outpouring of financial needs whether they be personal, construction, and/ donations to World Renew, we will be able to help hurricane or household needs. The need for help with home survivors in Puerto Rico for quite some time,” said Bob repairs will be ongoing for the next several years Laarman, World Renew DRS director. and World Renew and its volunteers will be there for World Renew is thankful to be welcomed to the city of as long as possible to help survivors who would not Mayaguez by ADRA to work together to rebuild homes for otherwise be able to fix their home. hurricane survivors like Linda.

worldrenew.net/drs ftY Puerto Rico Her house was too badly damaged Amelia filled out a needs assessment to be repaired and is scheduled to be survey with a volunteer from World demolished. Julia, her husband, and his Renew DRS in January. disabled brother rode out the storm in Through the World Renew DRS needs their home, which had both wind damage assessment, she was able to connect to and a storm surge, leaving them in waist- the Immokalee organization heading deep water. After the hurricane, all of their up hurricane recovery, walking along belongings were jumbled up and mixed in survivors who are unable to make repairs with sludge from the storm. and recover on their own. Amelia will be This is not an uncommon situation. able to get her new roof and find resources From September – December 2017, to help her meet her other needs. World Renew volunteers gave almost Regional managers have spent many Hurricane Maria completely destroyed 3,000 hours of help to clean-up heavily hours meeting with communities to Angel’s home in Puerto Rico. Due to flooded homes in Port Arthur. determine when and where World limitations, he has been unable to rebuild Twenty-two trained World Renew Renew could be of service. Churches his home. By God’s grace, World Renew volunteers carried out unmet needs and schools are also eager to help repair and ADRA were blessed to celebrate a assessments, which help identify homes in Florida. At least 15 groups are Last Nail Ceremony at the completion of vulnerable survivors by systematically making plans with World Renew to serve Angel’s newly built home in January 2018. surveying disaster-affected communities, across Irma impacted areas. A Last Nail Ceremony includes music, in two locations of Brazoria County *not her real name a litany of words, and a prayer. During in January 2018. This was the first of the celebration, the owner of the home numerous anticipated needs assessments is given a small nail and a hammer and in Texas. encouraged to drive in the last nail. A World Renew is currently Financial Update symbolic wreath is placed as a token of coordinating home repair mission trips (as of February 28, 2018) for over 60 different churches and remembrance and thanksgiving. US (US currency) “If my mother could have seen this, schools to Texas specifically. *not her real name Hurricane Harvey 2017 she would never have imagined we would $2,663,784.94 have had such a nice home,” said Angel. Florida Hurricane Irma 2017 “Thank you.” $698,876.87 Staff and regional managers have made Hurricane Irma 2017 two trips to Puerto Rico to coordinate North America recovery efforts with local organizations. $444,011.00 There are many ongoing details to arrange Hurricane Irma 2017 such as housing, transportation, meals, International construction specifications, coordinating $36,447.99 work projects, managing the language Hurricanes 2017 barrier, and more. Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands Texas $813,236.20 Canada (Canadian currency) Amelia* lives in Immokalee, Florida, Hurricane Harvey 2017 and her home suffered significant $156,800.92 damage from Hurricane Irma in Hurricane Irma 2017 September 2017. Five months after $14,290.73 the hurricane, she is living with moldy Hurricane Irma 2017 walls and bedding, rotting flooring, North America holes in her roof, and extensive property $8,073.83 destruction, but she is only asking for Hurricane Irma 2017 one thing. International “I just need a new roof,” she said. $56,698.08 Julia’s* home hasn’t been touched since The rainy season, May through Hurricanes 2017 Hurricane Harvey. She said it is too October, is coming and she doesn’t want Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands difficult physically and emotionally to try her family living with rain water pouring $31,486.95 to go through everything. into their home.

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