A group of volunteers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, are in Lafourche Parish helping rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Ida.Dozens of storm victims have been living in temporary housing since the powerful hurricane made landfall in August 2021. Some tell WDSU that the Federal Emergency Management Administration or FEMA has insisted they pay rent to stay in their trailers. Others claim the federal agency has tried to take their trailers back. “I wouldn’t have no place to go,” said Albert Guillot, who is getting a new home. “What they’ve got done on this house right now, (it) took a little over two weeks.”The volunteers are with the Mennonite Disaster Service’s Storm Aid group. They have been helping rebuild after disasters since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf South in 2005.Mennonites follow a religion similar in many ways to the Amish. They do not have driver’s licenses but can be driven by others to work sites across the country.”(We like) sharing our talents,” said Sam Fisher, a volunteer. “It’s great to bring weekly volunteers down, (in their) twenties or late teens and let them have a view of something else.”Most volunteers come for a week and then return home, but some stay upwards of a month at a temporary bunkhouse in Larose. They were brought in by the Bayou Community Foundation, a nonprofit sponsoring the rebuilds, thanks to donations from partners like Chevron and Shell. “We could not do any of this without the tremendous support and investment of our donors to the Bayou Community Fund,” said Jennifer Armand, executive director of the nonprofit.She said many of the homeowners they are helping had nowhere else to turn for assistance.”Many have been turned down or found ineligible for Restore Louisiana. They are being charged for their FEMA trailer. There’s really nowhere else to turn,” Armand said. “So we are really so excited to be able to provide them hope and help during this difficult time.”The nonprofit hopes to construct up to 20 new homes from Larose to Grand Isle by the end of May. Anyone wishing to learn more about their work or support the mission can do so here.
A group of volunteers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, are in Lafourche Parish helping rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Ida.
Dozens of storm victims have been living in temporary housing since the powerful hurricane made landfall in August 2021. Some tell WDSU that the Federal Emergency Management Administration or FEMA has insisted they pay rent to stay in their trailers. Others claim the federal agency has tried to take their trailers back.
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“I wouldn’t have no place to go,” said Albert Guillot, who is getting a new home. “What they’ve got done on this house right now, (it) took a little over two weeks.”
The volunteers are with the Mennonite Disaster Service’s Storm Aid group. They have been helping rebuild after disasters since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf South in 2005.
Mennonites follow a religion similar in many ways to the Amish. They do not have driver’s licenses but can be driven by others to work sites across the country.
“(We like) sharing our talents,” said Sam Fisher, a volunteer. “It’s great to bring weekly volunteers down, (in their) twenties or late teens and let them have a view of something else.”
Most volunteers come for a week and then return home, but some stay upwards of a month at a temporary bunkhouse in Larose. They were brought in by the Bayou Community Foundation, a nonprofit sponsoring the rebuilds, thanks to donations from partners like Chevron and Shell.
“We could not do any of this without the tremendous support and investment of our donors to the Bayou Community Fund,” said Jennifer Armand, executive director of the nonprofit.
She said many of the homeowners they are helping had nowhere else to turn for assistance.
“Many have been turned down or found ineligible for Restore Louisiana. They are being charged for their FEMA trailer. There’s really nowhere else to turn,” Armand said. “So we are really so excited to be able to provide them hope and help during this difficult time.”
The nonprofit hopes to construct up to 20 new homes from Larose to Grand Isle by the end of May.
Anyone wishing to learn more about their work or support the mission can do so here.