FEEL GOOD: Mitigation Stories

As a matter of course, when I present VIND activities to our Board of Directors or to a similar group, I like to share “feel good stories.” It is the exact paycheck people need when doing this type of work! Therefore, as grantors, I would like to share a little about the cases on which we worked during this quarter, all of these examples from the mitigation cases, funded by Volunteer Florida Foundation through My Safe Florida Home; VIND is partnered with United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties for this grant.

Case #1: The shutter installers were working on the finishing touches of a home in a low-income neighborhood. The homeowner is a single mother with two active children. She works hard to keep the small home in which they live and to provide a safe environment for her children. As the installers pack up to leave, they see her loading a wagon with grocery bags. Asking if they can help, she explains that every day on the way home from work she stops and buys some staples and takes them to a nearby park where homeless gather at night to sleep. Her generosity touched them. Realizing that her home had no garage, car port or shed in which to store her new shutters when not in use, a small shed is donated and installed for her.

Case #2: A tough biker who had received a new roof as a VIND client having survived the 2004 Hurricane season was urged to sign up for mitigation. As the case management was being done to explain what the program would do to help complete his mitigation, they walked around the house viewing trees still bent from the storm and a once usable swimming pool filled with dirt and debris. Disabled and still dealing with difficult financial times, he said he never expected that anyone would help a person of his type. “I ain’t all that special and I ain’t always good.” Putting his arms around his dog, he looked up at the case manager and began to weep. “Thank you.”

Case #3: A woman who had signed up for the program through MSFH website called her neighbor next door and one across the street. All three retirees qualified for VIND’s mitigation program and all three sat together at a dining room table to fill out the intake papers with the case managers. They were full of questions about the program and about VIND. Then, they asked what they could do. “Spread the word, please.”

At their homeowners’ association meeting, they did just that. One is a ham radio operator, so she included her club members. Not only was VIND able to add several names to its reference list of future mitigation clients, but many learned of VIND’s recovery efforts. The president of the homeowners’ association called to verify the validity of the program and included VIND as a part of its newsletter and bulletin board. A future speaking engagement was discussed. It is the vision of VIND and this community to see the entire subdivision mitigated!

Mary-Ann Luther, Program Coordinator