Tag: Tuscaloosa

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A Word From Tuscaloosa

For those of you who haven’t been following Project Kinect, or missed it, last June a few of us went to Tuscaloosa to help with the tornadoes clean up after the earth shattering tornadoes went through on April 27th, 2011.  One of my other outlets that I sometimes post in is my CNN iReport and last week I received this message.  It was so wonderful receiving this email and getting confirmation that Tuscaloosa is on the upward end of these disasters.  It is one thing to read this in the news and see tidbits in social media outlets, but to actually get to hear it directly from a resident is fantastic.  Thank you for this email.

I just viewed your iReport of your last day in Tuscaloosa. Couldn’t help notice
how emotional you were, it was a very trying time, and continues to be. I
understand how you would think how the relief resources were letting people
down. No doubt, some victims fell through the cracks, but that was a catastrophe
that we haven’t seen on that scale in a century. I am NOT making excuses, living
here, however, I saw how the churches and just regular folks, like yourself came
and helped out. With the official relief organizations, they were lacking, but
the community and people from all over the country did their best to pick up the
slack. Hopefully you’ve followed the progress we’ve made since last June. There
are dozens of Facebook pages you can find info on. Most of the debris has been
clear, but it still twists my gut to drive through the affected areas. As the
mayor finally admitted, you couldn’t have picked a worse path, it cut through
some of the poorest sections of town. I just felt compelled to message you and
let you know that things have progressed, but no one will ever be the same after
that terrible day. I’d like to say thank you for coming down and helping and
documenting, the news networks took off when the EMS contained them to a small
area so they couldn’t go into the worst areas and film the dead bodies, which is
just disgraceful, on the reporters’ part, those are people’s family and friends.
All they seemed to be concerned with was the death toll, which is still
inaccurate for reasons I won’t get into. I took pics and video, and I still
haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it, was born and raised at DCH
hospital, the one you could see in the background, I balled like a baby when I
saw the destruction had been done. Check out Facebook, though, there are many
pages that show what good has been done since.

Here is the video that she was responding to.

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Monday Spotlight: Tornado Relief

Last week, in the matter of just a few days we experienced as many tornadoes as we sometimes see in an entire year.   This takes a lot of help and organization to clean up and so I wanted to set this Monday toward getting some of this information out there.  In the next few days I will set up a full-page here on Project Kinect for all this information by location with detailed information but for right now, this is what I can get out there. As said in today’s Washington Post, FEMA is just getting prepared to provide tornado relief so maybe this can begin as a conversation with everyone on how to expedite this procedure and not see what we saw in Tuscaloosa, Alabama last spring.  In this, I am including the states involved with the majority of the devastation last week.   

Region 4 out of Atlanta: Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee

Telephone Numbers:
Main Number: 770.220.5200
Fax Number: 770.220.5230

Mailing Address:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
3003 Chamblee Tucker Road
Atlanta, GA 30341

Media Inquiries: 770.220.5226

Region 5 out of Chicago:  Illinois, Ohio, Indiana

Mailing Address                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         536 South Clark St., 6th Floor
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 408-5500

Media Contact

Mark Peterson
Email:  mark.peterson2@dhs.gov
Telephone:  312-408-4469

  • As far as right now, I have only seen one facebook page for any of the cities but here is one for Northern Alabama

 

 

  • If you’re a college student and you want to do something impactful on your spring break, here are some ways to volunteer.

*Relief Spark: By far what I think is the most incredible disaster relief organization I have seen.  Many people find volunteer opportunities with a church but if you are without a church, Relief Spark is a great place to share your gifts.  They are already setting up camps throughout the south and midwest.  Check out their facebook page.

*Disaster Assistance with the Church of Christ: We worked with Mike and his kitchen on wheels in Tuscaloosa.  They have plenty of work to do and you definitely get to see your impact when working with them.  They just arrived in Southern Indiana today. 

This is just a start but if people are coming up with questions on what to do now that things are destroyed or if people want to help , then here are some beginning points.  Like previously mentioned, I will have a much larger working page later this week.  If you have any information that you would like to contribute to it, please email me at gregg@projectkinect.com.  If you need extra help and need assistance otherwise on finding answers that have not been answered yet, i.e. free medical assistance, legal aid, water safety, paperwork help or anything else not listed, then also email me at gregg@projectkinect.com and I will make phone calls, research and help find those answers. 

WE ARE ALL INVOLVED!!!

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Looking Back: Dinner with the American Red Cross Volunteers

My year has been so full of meeting hundreds of different people and getting so much knowledge, joy, heartache and inspiration from all of them.  One of the moments where I was able to just take it all in was a night in Tuscaloosa when Alyssa and I got the chance to sit with all of the volunteers from the American Red Cross on their last night in Tuscaloosa after they had been there for almost two months.  Here is the post I wrote on that night…

This is Marlene.  She is one of the American Red Cross Volunteers that have been here for the majority of the time since the storms on April twenty seventh.  As we were cleaning up lots on Thursday, she was going around from worksite to worksite encouraging volunteers to take breaks and get water in them.   When she came by where we were working, she scared Alyssa to death with her megaphone.

On Friday, we ran back into her when we went to help an Americorps team take down and clean up a shelter that is originally built as a community center.  In between being drilled with questions by Alyssa about the Red Cross, and her drilling Alyssa on questions about when will she meet her son, Marlene invited us to dinner with her team of volunteers.  This would be their last dinner together before they all went back to their respective homes.  Of course Alyssa and I went to sit among all this knowledge and insight over the last month and a half.

This group of volunteers was from all over.  Marlene is from Michigan, and she definitely brought the Midwest to this group.  There was also a woman from Wisconsin and a couple people from Ohio.  One of them, Sandy, has been volunteering for eleven years.  She told us about her first Disaster Relief (DR) assignment and that was September eleventh.  She was sent to ground zero that following January and talked about how still, four months later, the tension and need was so great for everyone there.  She felt then, helping so many people in need that she truly had a place volunteering at the American Red Cross.

Next to her was Jason who was from Kentucky.  This was his first DR and he is getting the instructions of where he is going next this morning.  He can’t wait.  From what Alyssa and I gathered sitting there with him, listening to him talk about what had happened in Tuscaloosa, he’s ready for the next assignment.

Next to me was Greg who handed us our lunches that day.  He is from Alabama and like Jason, this was his first DR too.  He was in the kitchen for the duration of his assignment in Tuscaloosa but is vocal that his next assignment will be driving the assistance van with Marlene.

Keep in mind that the age ranges of these volunteers are all over the place.  There were a few that were in their twenties and thirties and then is just went up from there: Anyone can be a volunteer.  It was a remarkable moment to spend with these individuals and see the bonds that were made through this incredible disaster and to know how each of them has helped to make things a little brighter in Tuscaloosa.  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with American Red Cross, then check out your local chapter and they can get you started with training classes.

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A Look Back

I’ve been spending some time reflecting on this last year and all of the inspirational people that I have met.  One of the people that I met was Amber while I was sitting in on a seminar provided by the University of Texas at Austin.  I wanted to share this post today to just remind new followers of Project Kinect of some of the people I have met on this journy.  This was before New Orleans, The Today Show, Tuscaloosa, The Kishwaukee Corridor and everything else that has happened since late March. 

WE ARE ALL INVOLVED!!!

 While I was at The Hidden Room production, I met Bijoy who told me about two organizations here in Austin. One was ATX Equation. That I will discuss in a later post. The other, was Rise Austin which assists entrepeneurs in creating their vision. During their conference, they have a selection of great key-note speakers from new up and coming companies. I went to hear about Unreasonable Institute and then met Amber. Amber has a very similar story to mine and was so thrilled to meet her. She was a great addition to my experience here in Austin and to my evening. Listen to her story and enjoy what happens when someone just relies on faith for a moment. Thank you so much Amber. I have a feeling we’ll cross paths again.

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Recalling the First Look in Tuscaloosa

When we first arrived into Tuscaloosa, we went to the first place we saw tornado damage and looked around.  The first place we looked was an area in South West Tuscaloosa that was pretty much demolished.  For a reminder, here are some of those pictures….

 

 

 

I kept up with this area because I wanted to really take inventory of how much was getting cleaned up and what was the process of clean up.  In neighborhoods like this, it was what they were calling a “clean sweep” where they just tore it down and then would decide what to do with the area afterward. Here are pictures showing the same views, but three weeks after we arrived.  Take notice that the Teddy Bear is still in the exact same spot. 

 

 

 

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Relaxing in Hurricane Creek

This is after a day in Hurricane Creek cleaning out trees.

After cleaning out Hurricane Creek, we then went with Russell and D.D. with a packed lunch to enjoy a part of the creek up stream that wasn’t torn up from the tornado.  Here is a reminder of what that part of the creek looks like now…

This is what Hurricane Creek looks like after the tornado

 

And here are pictures from a public park to show what the creek looked like before the storms came through.

This is taken in the middle of the creek. Natural beauty everywhere.
Just another hang out spot in the creek. The history in this meeting place from the past is overwhelming. It is amazing to think of how many people over that centuries have been in this spot.
The history in this meeting place from the past is overwhelming. It is amazing to think of how many people over that centuries have been in this spot.
Entrance to Hurricane Creek park
All clean enjoying the lunch and the creek
This is a picture from the cliffs above looking down onto the park and the creek.
We went to a deeper area of the park that Russell knew about. It forced us to really take in our surroundings.
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The Lot

One of the volunteer opportunities that we felt a connection with while we were in Tuscaloosa was helping out with the lunch services and the distribution center at the Church of Christ in Forest Lake.  Despite the church being taken out of commission by the tornado, the church was able to use its resources and get a tent up to get people the house hold necessities required to keep moving forward with their lives as well as a mobile home that was built with a large kitchen in order to assist in disaster relief. Through this kitchen, we served residence and volunteers breakfast and lunches so we knew that people were getting fed.  In our span of assisting the church with their efforts, we served about 8,000 lunches.  

The main reason we kept going back to this particular spot to volunteer was because of the people that were helping out and it was the best possible way to get a one-on-one with the residence to hear what they truly needed.  Those are the moments that we heard the stories that aren’t told in the “success stories” that tell us that Tuscaloosa is alright.  These are the bold reminders that the residence need much more help still and that this can happen anywhere in our large community called the United States.

The other volunteers that we met while we were on the lot were from all over.  Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Texas, Florida, Georgia and so many other states.  The two men running the show were Mike and D.D.  D.D. became our friend instantly and ventured out with us every time we went out to explore Tuscaloosa.  Mike was the director of this particular motor home from the Church of Christ disaster assistance.  If you are interested to find out where he is headed next, you can email him at disasterassistance@gmail.com to get on his email list.

We also had a great chance to meet some of the congregation from the church.  Joe, Debbie and Claudia were our three continuous favorites and now that Alyssa will be down there for a while with her new job, she will be in contact with them.

These pictures are a montage of the people and work we were doing while volunteering at the lot.  This opportunity had such an enormous impact in our journey and we are so thankful for everyone we met while we were there.

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An Update From the Disaster Assistance Program

One of the organizations that we repeatedly helped out was the Church of Christ in the Forest Lake community.  It was a great place that we could really connect one-on-one with the residence by feeding them and getting them some essentials for the home.  I will be sharing pictures and stories from the lot later but right now, I just wanted to share the email from Mike.  If you are available to help in Tuscaloosa or Minot, please feel free to email him.

Hi Everyone
Flooding in Minot, ND. I have talked with the North Dakota Emergency Mgmt, ND Red Cross, members and the preacher
at the Minot Church of Christ. The water has just started to go down. They are accessing the needs and will let
me know how or if they want to be involved.
Below is the recap of work that has been done here in Tuscaloosa so far.
 –40,950 Meals Served
 
-Over 690 families helped with cleanup(chainsaw and other work)
 
-Many Many loads of other food, water and supplies handed out.
 
-Church building is completely torn down and hauled away in trucks.
 
-We have volunteers scheduled to work here in Tuscaloosa thru the end of July.
 
-Lots of new updates on the blog(link to blog from web site) www.disasterassistancecoc.com
 
-Sense next week is a short work week for volunteers I will not send out an update, but will post
it on the blog.
Please pass this information on to everyone on your email and Facebook list , take it to your church and business, you never know who might be willing to help us. Please pray for the thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed and for us as we show the love of the Lord to them by just providing a simple meal.
You can donate online at www.disasterassistancecoc.com or make check payable to and
mail to:
Disaster Assistance
402 Center Way
Lake Jackson, Tx 77566
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization that is helping out communities all over the world by assisting in housing for families that are in need of it.  While in Tuscaloosa, we kept looking for their presence and wasn’t really sure why there wasn’t more of an impression by Habitat in the city.  Well, due to the ninety day construction hold on the city, they were compiling all of their resources to assist in getting over a hundred homes up and running.  We found out this when we stopped by the Habitat ReStore that has been selling used and close to new building and furnishing items to help with endeavor of getting these houses up and running.

If you are unfamiliar with what a ReStore is, it is a store that local Habitat for Humanity offices have to raise money that will stay in that local area to help with those resources needed to get the new houses out to the families that need them.

If you are looking to contact the Habitat for Humanity resale store in Tuscaloosa and help them with their lofty endeavor, you can email them at restore@habitattuscaloosa.org and here is the website for the Tuscaloosa Habitat for Humanity.

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Today’s Youth

I just want to take a minute and commend the youth that we have been working with down here in Tuscaloosa.  Since day one, we met a girl with her grandparents busting her butt sorting cloths with Alyssa and Tracey in a hot, sweaty warehouse.  We then saw her three days later cutting tags and directing people at Dressing Up! Tuscaloosa.  She took time out of her summer vacation to volunteer with her grandparents and help those who needed an extra hand.

On the lots in the hot melting sun, we were working side by side cleaning up after houses had been demolished.  There was not a peep of complaint from these teenagers; just smiles and sweat.  All these young adults had it in their heads that they were here to help out someone else.

When we got to the Church of Christ and helping them out with their food service and distribution center, we were introduced to even more hard working young adults; some as young as eleven.  My big thanks goes out to Aaron and Hannah who were running around with their dollies taking the trash, running for ice and water, and then conquering those huge boxes of food while working in 100 degree weather.  You rocked it and had the best dispositions the entire time.  I met Aaron’s parents and told them how great of a job that they have done with him.  If I met Hannah’s parents, I would definitely tell them the same.

All of these young people though deserve recognition and I hope that they all have an influence on their entire generation.  It was a great pleasure to work with them and I hope that they know they even inspired me.  Next time you are alongside a young adult, take a minute to get to know them because they may impress you. 

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