Louisiana Flood Relief- Volunteering & Donations

At this time Poured Out’s Disaster Response team is preparing supplies and plan to be en route to the affected area by the end of the week. Our scouting team has made initial assessments and relief efforts will begin after August 28th. Please pray for the victims of the storms and for our team to receive direction from the assessment.

Stay tuned on our website and Facebook Page to learn how you can get involved.

Help! Donations can be made online by clicking HERE to aid the relief efforts. All contributions are tax-deductible. 

Livingston Parish, Louisiana (source) The catastrophic flood devastating Louisiana is now the worst natural disaster to strike the United States since Hurricane Sandy four years ago, the Red Cross said.

“This disaster is the worst to hit the United States since Superstorm Sandy, and we anticipate it will cost at least $30 million — a number which may grow as we learn more about the scope and magnitude of the devastation.”

6,900,000,000,000 gallons of rain in one week

The calamity struck quickly and ferociously. In one part of Livingston Parish, more than 31 inches of rain fell in 15 hours.

 “So far at least 11 people have been killed, some 40,000 homes damaged, and 30,000 people rescued in what officials have described as some of the worst flooding ever to hit the state. Around 8,400 people remain in emergency shelters, days after the deluge began.” (source)

Long-time Poured Out Volunteer Dan Culler is in the midst of dealing with flooding at his and his family’s homes. Dan has spent weeks on end serving those who have been affected by natural disasters himself, including the tornado victims of Moore, Oklahoma in 2013. Dan and his wife Jackie have also traveled to Haiti with Poured Out at least once a year for the past 5 years building Waterhouse systems for schools, orphanages, and churches.

As a close friend of Poured Out as well as an amazing humanitarian and volunteer, Dan and his family are now facing what it’s like to be on the other side of Disaster Response. Dan returned to his home in French Settlement, Louisiana on August 19th to find it almost completely submerged underwater. Dan has several family members whose homes are also flooded. Poured Out recognizes that there are thousands of people in similar situations, and we’re planning to help! Poured Out will SEE YOU ON THE BAYOU! Starting August 28th, Poured Out will be helping Dan, his family, and other homeowners who have been affected by recent flooding.

Where We Are:

What We’re Doing:

We are coordinating Louisiana flood relief volunteers for debris removal, muck-out, cleaning & sorting, and providing any other help to those who were affected by the recent flooding. We are providing free services for those whose insurance cannot cover damages or for any other reason need aid. We are coordinating volunteer teams to help with these projects. Any skill levels and serving hearts are welcome!

When We Will Begin:

We are receiving individuals and/or teams now! We currently are excepting groups or individual volunteers on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you would like to volunteer, please fill out our Required Volunteer Application. For additional questions email our disaster response administrative team at usdr@poured-out.org

What You’ll Need:

-completed Disaster Response Application Form
-clothes for the duration of your stay
-toiletries/towel –(no showers on sight -shower trailer available at partner location 2 miles away)
-sleeping materials (this includes sheet, blanket, pillow)
-hand warmers, warm clothes (layers), blankets (if applicable)
-lunch food/money for lunch
–$25/day/volunteer for Site Volunteer Cost (covers lodging, breakfast, and dinner)
–A copy of the front and back of your license and insurance cards: if you do not have insurance, please sign and bring an Insurance Waiver Form.

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What We Have:

-food to cook for breakfast and dinner
-sleeping rooms in the The Church in Livingston
-cots and sleeping pads (limited availability -large groups may need to bring)
-parking for standard vehicles. (RV, Trailers, Etc. must be scheduled ahead of time through usdr@poured-out.org and cannot always be accommodated)
-work!

Trip Coordination:

-You will need to arrange your own transportation to/from home to The Church in Livingston
-You can sign up with a group or individually, and can come as many or as few days as you like!
-Volunteers age 18 and up accepted, 16 and up accepted with parent consent, 14 and up accepted if parent is on trip, participants under 18 years of age will need a signed parent permission slip. [wpdm_file id=1]
-Registration is based on availability

Will You Help?

Click the button below to let us know if you would be interested in volunteering alongside Poured Out in Louisiana, or supporting financially!

INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS MUST SIGN UP THROUGH OUR SCHEDULING DEPARTMENT AT USDR@POURED-OUT.ORG

For an example of the work we do please visit our page and watch the video following the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma earlier in 2013.

For updates check out the Poured Out blog or Poured Out’s Facebook Page