disaster recovery & service learning

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7/10/2011

Poverty, Disasters & Service Learning:addressing recovery challenges

Brenda D. Phillips, Ph.D.Fire and Emergency Management Program

Oklahoma State University

Overview of Comments

Areas of Concern

Partners in Service

Places for Service

Questions and Answers

“Communities of Fate?”(Peacock; Cutter)

Engineering the natural environment

Patterns of segregation

Resulting in limited employment opportunities

Entrenched, resistant poverty….people unableto evacuate, mitigate, recover.

Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana

Disasters havedifferential impacts

Poverty and Recovery• An uphill battle.• Confusion over applications,

aid, grants ….Small“Business” Association???

• Requires collaboration andlong-term, organized effortswith effective casemanagement.

• A focus on unmet needsand those who “fall throughthe cracks.”

Who Falls Through?

RentersSingle Parents

Disabilities, medicalFixed incomes

Under- and unemployedUnder and uninsured

SeniorsImmigrants

Racial & Ethnic MinoritiesGeographically isolated

Socially isolated

Service Learning: Points of Entry



7/10/2011

Key Players• Long Term Recovery

Committee –

Unmet Needs, Interfaith – Strong case

management• External, experienced

disaster organizations withvolunteer labor andfunding

– National VoluntaryOrganizations Active inDisaster

FEMA “VAL”

Liaison

InformationReferralsContactsMeetings

Coordinate with FEMA

Important role of voluntary orgs

Faith Based Organizations• “First to arrive, last to

leave”• Rely on donations of

money and volunteertime

• Usually coordinate withthe LTRC

• Often have a specificfocus

Community Based Organizations

• United Way, Goodwill,Advocacy Orgs.

• Challenges – May be overwhelmed or

damaged since many worklocally

– Burnout• Benefits

– Know the local context – Connect directly to survivors

in need – Can navigate political and

economic realities

Civic Clubs and Organizations• Lions, Elks, Moose, Rotary;

Business and ProfessionalWomen’s Organization;Chamber of Commerce(Hispanic and BlackChambers as well) – oftenhave a specific focus.

• Bayou Lions Club inAlabama used $$ from theLions Club InternationalFoundation to test eyesightof 325 and provide 107 withglasses after Katrina.

Emergent Groups & Organizations• New entity with a new structure,

new tasks• Often take on unmet needs• Women Will Rebuild (Miami,

Hurricane Andrew, 1992) – Increased representation for

women, new committees forlead organization on families,children, domestic violence,increased funding for socialservices and affordablehousing

• Comite de Diecisiete deSeptiembre (Loma Prieta EQ,1989)

• Issues for Latinos living intrailer courts



7/10/2011

Academic Frameworks• Degree Programs• Classes, assignments• Senior Capstones• Interns• Clubs & Organizations• Alternative spring

break• Sports Teams, Bands• Sororities, Fraternities• Graduate students,

theses, dissertations Hesston College, Kansas; CanadianMennonite University, Winnipeg.

Areas of Concern

Traditional Focus• Debris removal• Housing• Economic Recovery• Psychological Trauma

What can be missed• Small, home owned

businesses; second jobs.• “Deferred” maintenance• Giving up after a denial• Disabilities, medical issues• Pets, Service Animals• Pre-disaster homeless• Capacity of those affected• Thinking holistically• Thinking sustainably• Building disaster resistance

The Recovery PlanThe Housing Vision

Missing Voices

“SPAM” Centro Campesino and Florida City



7/10/2011

Fixed Incomes: Seniors Princeville, North Carolina

Public Housing Economic Recovery

• Individual – Home based – Internet based – Small business – Locally owned

businesses• As an Employee

– Large scale businesses – Local industry – Large corporations

Addressing Unemployment• Standard Responses

–

Job fairs – Unemployment Assistance – Crisis Counseling

• Developing alternatives – Cyber-commuting – Flex time/days – Job sharing – Safe and secure housing

• Common Issues – Child care – Shift Work – Second jobs

• Recognize heroism• Enhance preparedness for future events• Safe Rooms

Micro Loans• Mennonite Economic Development Associates

– Investment capital, consulting support – Micro loans to underserved communities & businesses – Staff member placed in a community – Invested in a credit union to make loans

• “Back to Business” Program, Katrina – Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama – Investment capital in a credit union to encourage loans – Financial and consulting support – Focused on businesses owned by people of color, women and low-

income individuals – Focus on under-served communities – Focus on specific businesses: fishing, child care



7/10/2011

Offer school programs◦ American Red Cross◦ FEMA for Kids◦

Project HeartlandPersonal Fitness◦ Remember the Ten◦ OKC Marathon◦ Diversify programs for ages

and abilitiesVolunteer

◦ Increases happiness, lifesatisfaction, sense of control

◦ But understand that sweatequity is not always possible

Psychological TraumaPets

• Poverty may mean losing yourbest friend after disaster.

• COSTS – Heartworm, rabies other

regular medications – Food, security, shelter – Special needs animals – Impacts on shelters

• Foster programs

• (“Layla” and “Nickel” Photos courtesy of CassieMiller, Oklahoma State University, above)

Public Art, MemorialsWatsonville, CA

MITIGATION• Trailer Parks•

Low Income Neighborhoods• Public Housing• High Risk Groups

– Association for Retarded Citizens of Baldwin County, Georgia, $3.2 million

– Built a safe room for special needs citizens,shelter for 430 people, built to FEMA 361standards, up to 200 mph wind resistance;Wind retrofit for the Laundry and Life SkillsTraining Center, take a wind load of 120mph to 200 mph

Don’t forget yourselvesCollege Populations, Fall 2006

• Dillard 46%• Loyola 89%• Tulane 81%• Southern UNO 76%• UNO 71%• Xavier 76%



7/10/2011

The Grand Bayou, Louisiana

Can you make a difference in a week?• “Everyone was friendly, really

friendly. I was sorry to see themleave after one week and I cried.”

• “I hated to see Friday come. Theywould leave, it was like a funeral.”

• “The worst part was that most of them stayed only 7 days, andthen left after becoming goodfriends. That was very hard. Theywere all fantastic.”

• “When the first crew left after aweek, I cried and cried when theyleft. I felt such a close connectionto them. My husband who hadnot been around that much,wanted to know why I was soupset. ‘They’re leaving’. It wasvery emotional.”

Estimate he o tal number of days you havevolunteered on an MDS project, either ocal (your

home community) or binational (elsewhere nCanada/US), n he past ive (5) years. Please select

one.

1 -2 weeks

1 month

up to 2 months

up to 3 months

4 or more months

How did they treat you?

• “They were great workers, very friendly. They became like family tous in just a week.”

• “Very good people, very nice. They became part of our family.”• “We all became a family, we still talk and stay in touch. Some of

them have come for a visit."• “They were wonderful. They were real nice, they worked hard.

We were full up with volunteers, it was like a family reunion whenthey came back.”

• They treated me like family and I treated them like family (he beginsto cry). It was a very rewarding experience. I have grandchildrenthey can visit now.”

•

“They were like family. People with big hearts. They took theirvacation and family time. I prayed for them and thanked God forthem every day. They have a spirit in their heart to come here anddo work on the coast.”

Is it worth the effort? “Lord I had no idea these kind of people was in this world. Theydidn’t look down on you, theymade you think you wassomebody. The volunteers camefrom all over the world, Canada,Pennsylvania, the Amish. I alwaysthought they wasn’t nice. Theystayed to their world and didn’twant to be in ours. I was wrong.You have to lose everything toknow. They felt our hurt and werethere with open arms, somebodyto care about you. They are likefamily, like kin…black, white,whatever…they have hearts of gold. They smiled, nevercomplained, never frowned. Theynever said they was tired of hammering in nails! They was justso good. You have to go throughtragedy to know how nice peoplecan be.”

“ The most basic issues indisasters are their impact on the poor and the links

between poverty and vulnerability to adisaster…we must addressthe question of how toreduce poverty….if wehope to reduce sufferingand to make a truecontribution to recovery .”

International disaster humanitarianFred Cuny, 1983 Heartfelt thank you created by a Vietnamese-American family

upon leaving a Katrina Mississippi shelter.

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