Volunteers of America Delivers Scarce Commodity— Real Help

Vickie Russo, her mother Maxine Vioron and her son Stevie took pride in their New Orleans home, where Russo and her brothers grew up.

That was before Katrina, which blew away the roof. Eight feet of floodwaters destroyed belongings, antiques and keepsakes.  The aftermath brought more bad news—no FEMA trailer, long waits for the Road Home Program. Insurance repaired the roof but little else. Nonetheless, the family remained optimistic.

Hassle-free, timely help was scarce in the hurricane zone. Recognizing this fact, the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps (LFRC), a Volunteers of America program, worked hard to meet many needs. LFRC aided the Russo family in several ways—supplying electric heat and utility payments while working on assistance with mortgage payments and rebuilding.

 

First printed in the 2005-2006 Annual Report