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AmeriCorps Members Welcome Home Ida-Impacted Family

Just before Hurricane Ida’s 150 mph winds devastated southeast Louisiana, Marian fled home with her family. When they returned, they found that the winds had torn open their roof. Rain soaked their ceiling, insulation, drywall, and furniture, creating the perfect conditions for toxic mold to grow and spread throughout the house.

Without anywhere else to go, Marian’s family resorted to sleeping in the small shed in their backyard. When rain came, the shed’s floor would flood. They had no electricity except for a generator, for which gas was difficult to come by. Thankfully, after several weeks, a compassionate family friend offered a trailer for them to live in while they figured out the next step in the disaster recovery process. That’s when Marian applied and was approved for SBP’s home rebuild program.

Within an impressive 60 days after beginning renovations, SBP’s team and volunteer community welcomed this family home. Although a home repaired does not resolve all of life’s problems, it provides a safe environment for families to begin to regain what was lost. When asked how Marian maintained such a positive and uplifting attitude throughout these demanding times, she replied, “We’ve never been rich in money, but we’ve been rich in love.”

Disasters don’t pick and choose where and when they’ll hit, but they
often disproportionately affect low-income communities, leaving them without the resources necessary for recovery. That’s why SBP is dedicated to providing support when disaster strikes. If you would like to volunteer or donate to SBP’s mission to help shrink the time between disaster and recovery, we welcome you to join us.