Published: September 17, 2009 09:01 pm      

Help may be available for Ike victims

For Hurricane Ike victims who may have given up hope and not yet been able to repair their houses, help may be available.

The Orange County Long Term Recovery Committee is sponsoring a door-to door canvass in search of citizens not back in their houses since the hurricane.

“There still may be some people out there who still have a need or get their home repaired,” said Linda Roush. “They may have fallen through the cracks because of insurance or didn’t have the funds to do the repairs themselves.”

Volunteers with the Christian Reform World Recovery Committee will be filling out a questionnaire to assist in finding out who still needs help and those who have not been able to recover from the storm. They will begin canvassing in 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 21 through Oct. 2 in Orange, West Orange and Bridge City.

A walk in center will be located at the Rose City Baptist Church located at 1430 Old Highway 90. Since no canvassing will be done in Vidor or Rose City, residents there should go the walk-in center at the church.

Residents who have not been contacted in the Orange area can also go to Orange Christian Services. Questionnaires will be taken from Sept. 28 through Oct. 2.

“We will not be giving out money, just offering a helping hand,” Roush said.

The group will offer help with hanging sheet rock and other miscellaneous repairs or needs.

The Orange County Long Term Recovery Committee’s mission statement is “to meet the need for ongoing coordination among communities and various organizations providing volunteer, financial, spiritual, physical and or psychological support for people whose lives have been affected by disasters.”

Together the citizens, city and county governments, social service organizations and church members hope to come together to help the citizens of Orange County.

Roush added she wanted to thank Air Products for their generous donation of $1,000 to help the citizens repair their houses.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2609 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.