Our Organization

Why Do We Exist

During the Great Flood of 2016 (1000-year flood) in Louisiana, numerous parishes were impacted by historic rising flood waters impacting areas which had never flooded before. 

This flooding affected tens of thousands of families and businesses.  The impact shut down many communities, schools and businesses. As people began to assess their losses and how they could begin to recover, many large and small, local and national, organizations came in to address the immediate needs.  These organizations concentrated on how best to assist during the immediate recovery following the floods.

However, after the first six months following a disaster the dynamic changed from meeting immediate and emergency needs to addressing the long-term recovery process. Long Term Recovery Groups began organizing and providing assistance to those affected. As we began our recovery process, we found that there were many people, businesses and organizations willing to help but they didn’t know who or where to turn. Some turned to the large, well-known organizations such as the Red Cross, United Way, Catholic Charities. We all appreciated those organizations and all that they do, and they are, and were, an important part of the disaster recovery process. We found, however, that the local and smaller nonprofits struggled to get what they needed to help in their organizations recovery process. In many instances the smaller nonprofits rely not only on their members and supporting organizations but also these huge organizations. There seemed to be a disconnect between large national based organizations and the smaller local ones, and also a disconnect between the local organizations to each other.

Volunteer teams from small nonprofits, churches, colleges, individuals, were willing to come here, and many came from other states, all wanting to help. We found that coordinating all of what is needed for such teams/groups seemed to be problematic. We also found that some companies and organizations donated materials to rebuild homes, but no one knew they were available. There is an extreme lack of communication and coordination among nonprofits and organizations of all sizes. 

Therefore, we are creating that bridge so that through collaborating with one another we can all fulfill our purpose of helping those in need, especially in times of catastrophic disasters.

What Do We Do

We provide a central ‘hub’ which allows organizations to connect and share services and/or goods they have to offer and share with with other organizations and vice versa.  The hub provides listings of organizations working in disaster areas and the goods and/or services they may offer.

By accessing the hub and reviewing the information, one organization who may be aware of families/individuals looking for assistance, is able to see other organizations which have listed a service they are offering.   And, as such are able to direct those in need directly to the organizations offering the specific assistance they may need.

The same goes for goods such as: building materials, furniture, appliances, cleaning products, water, food, infant supplies, personal hygiene, sanitation supplies, toys, temporary housing, and even animal welfare & rescue services and pet care items.

The hub assists organizations who have a need, or can fulfill a need, to list what is available/needed.

We look for, and encourage organizations to, register on the hub before disasters happen.  Promoting your organization, in as many was as possible, and ahead of an actual disaster, helps your organizations mission to assist in times of disaster.  

Organizations working in disaster are under quick time constraints.  They want to get goods/services to affected areas/families as soon as possible.  We know that waiting until a disaster actually happens to promote your organization will lengthen a time which you can highlight that your organization exists and that you have a good or service you can provide.  Being a part of the hub helps shorten the time of getting in and getting out goods and services. 

This also applies to case managers working a disaster with clients on their road to recovery.  Case Managers are a direct link to people in need.  It is not affective to have a warehouse full of donated items if there is no one identified whom it can be given.  So, we also try and identify Case managers to become a part of the hub.

How to Participate

Access to the hub is free of charge.  In order to access the information on our website, a nonprofit, community organization or active case manager is required to submit an application which will then be be approved by the board.  As a case manager, you must be an active case manager assigned to an approved organization. Once approved, you will have the same access to the website and information. Although the public will have access to view the member organizations and what they offer, they are restricted to view only. If they click on the screen they will be directed to the “request case management” form.