Volunteers, computers, funds needed for recovery
Published 2:11 pm Wednesday, January 19, 2005
By By MICHELE GERLACH Publisher
Escambia County's Long Term Recovery Committee (ECLTRC) needs funds, volunteers, computers and information to help local residents recover from the long-term effects of Hurricane Ivan.
Committee members met Tuesday afternoon in Brewton.
ECLTRC chairman Carolyn White said the organization currently has 186 confirmed cases of unmet needs resulting from storm damage. That number could quickly swell higher than 400, she said, as the group does the case work necessary to determine actual needs. In some cases, for instance, residents have received help since their names were given to ECLTRC.
Many outside organizations are prepared to provide volunteer labor, but before those groups arrive, materials and supplies must be located.
In addition, volunteers are needed to research cases, determining if the individuals have received help, and if so, how much.
Office space has been donated for the group in Brewton, where there are 42 residences still in need of repair, and in Atmore, where 117 families need help. An additional 22 families are in Flomaton, where office space is still being sought. Almost 7,000 Escambia County residents have registered with FEMA for assistance.
The Escambia County School System has agreed to loan the group some computers, but additional computers are needed, White said.
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