The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sending almost half a million dollars in relief supplies and cash donations to assist victims of Hurricane Charley in Florida. Commodities from a Church storehouse in Orlando will supply feeding programs for thousands of residents still homeless from the storm. Some of the food has been selected to meet specific needs of migrant laborer families on Pine Island. Over 14,000 hygiene kits with basic necessities will also be made available.
This additional aid follows two semi-trucks loaded with emergency supplies such as water, tents, bedding, tools and roofing materials that had earlier arrived in Port Charlotte, one of the areas hit hardest by the storm.
At the request of the National Red Cross, seven LDS Family Services practitioners from Salt Lake City arrived today in Florida to work as grief and trauma counselors. Doug LeCheminant, program specialist for LDS Family Services, said, "In these abnormal situations a lot of what we do is re-establish family patterns and instill hope in the community." He said the counselors will pay special attention to children and relief workers. LDS Family Services counselors have responded to humanitarian needs worldwide, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Columbine High School shooting and the Kosovo refugee crisis.
This weekend, 1,500 volunteers, including full-time missionaries, from over 130 Latter-day Saint congregations in South Florida will assist with cleanup efforts in Wauchula, Kississimee, Arcadia, Port Wales, Punta Gorda and surrounding areas. Their tasks will include helping repair damage to the homes of hospital personnel in Port Charlotte to enable staff to return to work to meet the health needs of the community.
Many volunteers will be coming from Miami, where Church members remember well the generosity of others when they were devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. "During Hurricane Andrew, people from other areas came to Miami to help us clean up, and we'd like to return the favor," said M. Anthony Burns, president of the Homestead stake of the Church.
All of the volunteers will be bringing their own tools, water, food and camping supplies to fend for themselves during the cleanup effort.