FEEL GOOD: An LTR Story

A disabled gentleman ambled slowly, carefully up a ladder. “I love my roof. It is the most beautiful roof in the world! I want to live on my roof.” Not many moments later, it was followed by: “It sure is hot up here. How do you fella’s stand it?” And then… “I don’t have much to offer you, but I do have one thing.” Slowly, he descended the ladder.

When he returned he held in his hand a plate of toasted English muffins, the last of his stores from his pantry. He sat and enjoyed the food and conversation with the construction workers.

This was a reconstruction of a roof damaged in the 2004 hurricanes in Volusia County, Florida. The homeowner was a disabled individual on a fixed income. The date? Summer 2007. This is an example of what Long Term Recovery organizations do.

How does this happen? An employee of the Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking in Disaster (VIND) noticed a house with a blue tarp and asked why. Identified as a 2004 Hurricane victim, the VIND office sent a case manager to discern if the potential client was unable to financially pay for the reconstruction and, if monies received after the disaster were used to assist in the recovery. (This client used a good portion of what little money was received to pay for the installation of the blue tarp on his roof.)

Then, the case was presented to the VIND Rebuild Committee, members of which include the VIND staff, local pastors, representatives from the county government and local agencies and organizations. The case was heard, examined, and the VIND office manager was able to find a fund donated by a faith group from which to pull the rebuild monies. “All in favor?” Unanimous approval was given.

The next phase was for the VIND staff to organize the timeline, pull a permit, have a dumpster and materials delivered, schedule volunteers. An important preface is to understand the source of the materials: a local citizen had ordered too many shingles on a construction job and called American Red Cross to donate them rather than return them to the store. ARC called VIND. VIND used some of the federally funded laborers provided to assist in the recent tornado disaster recovery to load several pick up truck loads of shingles (imagine hoisting 80-90 pounds from the ground to the bed of a truck, then back down to store them, then back up to deliver to a job site, then up to the top of a roof---appreciate the tax dollars put into this sweat equity! Most of the shingles had already been used to replace tornado damaged roofing, so the leftovers were used for this project.) Also, a local citizen, reading a request in his church bulletin, donated many used electric tools from his garage (still with instructions attached!). Other needs for the rebuild efforts were purchased at a discount from local businesses with funds donated to VIND.

Now, a disabled individual can put away the rainwater buckets to which he had become accustomed inside his home. The out-of-state volunteers have replaced moldy ceilings and installed a light fixture in the hole from which it had been removed because it filled with water after every rain. The home and its owner have a feeling of wholeness again.

So, if you have been a part of this picture, if you have supported government and local agencies, faith groups, have volunteered or donated, sold materials at a discount or have simply thought or prayed for victims of disaster, take a moment. Savor a bite of toasted English muffin on a roof in sweltering Florida summer heat. Chase it down with lukewarm tap water. It is the best meal you will ever have.

If you want to be a part of the feast, give. Give your time. Give your excess supplies. Give from your resources. Give an extra dollar from your wallet. Enjoy the feast. You are helping a disaster victim become a survivor.