ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 27, 2007
Lutherans Help 'Gut Out' New Orleans by End of Summer 2007
07-042-MRC
NEW ORLEANS (ELCA) -- A primary goal among disaster response
workers here is to have every house that Hurricane Katrina
damaged "gutted" by the end of summer 2007, according to Jessica
Vermilyea, Metairie, La., state coordinator for Lutheran Disaster
Response. Lutheran Disaster Response is a collaborative ministry
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod.
"We're pulling together with other groups in a consolidated
effort to gut as many houses as we can, get all of the debris
picked up, so that (cleanup) can be completed," enabling workers
to "move full-swing into the next phase of work, which is
rebuilding," said Vermilyea. Lutherans are working with
governmental and other ecumenical disaster response coordinators
to identify properties that still need to be gutted "for people
who are trying to come back," she said.
Due to the amount of devastation in the New Orleans area,
disaster response efforts have "been somewhat slow, not just for
Lutherans, but for everybody here," said Vermilyea. While it is
not known how many homes have been gutted, volunteers are still
needed on a weekly basis, she said.
"Don't forget we're here, and we're not all fixed yet. And,
we're not going to be fixed for many, many years to come. What
we want people to know is that the individuals who need help are
ones who don't get heard in the public arena," said Vermilyea.
The work of Lutheran Disaster Response is centered in four
Louisiana parishes -- Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard and St.
Tammany. "We service most of those with what we're doing as far
as volunteer efforts. This is where Lutheran Disaster Response
is responding, and we may be moving outside of these parishes at
some point," said Vermilyea. "We do respond to some of the other
parishes in long-term recovery with financial help, but as far as
the actual volunteer help, this is where we are concentrated,"
she said.
The city of New Orleans "has put into effect a fast-track
system to get blighted properties turned over. Some people have
come back and rebuilt their homes but live in a community or on a
street where there might be a house right next door that hasn't
been gutted. It's a health issue and concern, with trash,
debris, rats, all kinds of things. You don't want that in your
neighborhood. So, we're trying to work together to get all
properties cleaned out as quickly as possible," she said.
To make that happen, Vermilyea and disaster response
coordinators have instituted a "gutting blitz" for March. She
estimates that 10,000 volunteers -- most of whom are college and
university students, church groups and others -- will be working
in Louisiana this month.
"We have all of these college kids coming in for spring
break, who will be working to get the gutting work done,"
Vermilyea said. "College students will be doing other things
like painting drywall, which is more of the rebuilding work, but
we're working to get the gutting done," she said.
The "financial burden to the city will become heavier for
the removal of debris at the end of August, and we're trying to
get that all taken care of so the city doesn't have to absorb
that cost," Vermilyea said.
Lutheran Disaster Response participates in the work of the
Greater New Orleans Disaster Recovery Partnership (GNODRP), which
is pronounced "no drip," said Vermilyea. GNODRP is comprised of
subcommittees, one of which is a subcommittee on rebuilding.
Vermilyea serves as chair of that subcommittee's "gutting task
force."
"GNODRP is somewhat like an overlying group that helps to
(coordinate the) work of all the different long-term recovery
organizations in the area. There are many long-term recovery
organizations here. Normally we would only have one in a
disaster, but because our geographical area is so large, we have
one for every county in Louisiana," she said. GNODRP "pulls them
together to help with some common difficulties and address how
they can form and work better through partnerships."
The number of homes in Orleans Parish -- where New Orleans
is located -- that need gut work "is getting smaller, so we're
working with the Army Corp of Engineers to consolidate a list for
one point of intake. The Army Corp has a better idea of what's
left to be cleaned and what kind of debris is left out there, so
our goal of completing the gutting work (will be) wrapped up by
the end of this summer," Vermilyea said.
As more houses are gutted, the need for "unskilled labor" is
lessening, she said. "That's good because it shows that we're
moving toward rebuilding," which would involve volunteers with
professional skills in plumbing, roofing and electrical work.
"We hear so many stories of people who need help, and it's
good to be able to provide help. Lutheran Disaster Response has
the ability to help through the generous donations received.
There are the elderly, people with disabilities and single
parents who need assistance. They are dependent on those who are
able to give financially, and those who contribute through
volunteer labor," said Vermilyea.
- - -
DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid
survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto
Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago,
Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet:
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/katrina
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
