Friday, April 14. 2006
Nonprofit Organization Brings New Hope to Victims of Eastern Iowa Tornadoes
Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 14, 2006) -- On Thursday evening, April 14, 2006, severe storms ripped through eastern Iowa, and spawned tornadoes that crushed homes, cars, and killed one person. The National Weather Service reported tornadoes in Tama, Linn, Muscatine, and Johnson counties, with much of the damage occurring in Iowa City. Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster, a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer organization which provides volunteers with the opportunity to provide hope and clean-up assistance to homeowners who have been affected by natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes will team up with local volunteers and other disaster relief agencies to begin the cleanup job of scattered buildings and snapped trees.
Twisters, high wind, and hail toppled trees and cut off power to thousands across the region. MidAmerican energy reported 7000 homes and businesses in eastern Iowa were still without power on Friday morning. Andrew Loffswold told ABC News that he fled his apartment as he heard the howling winds of an oncoming twister grow louder, only to return to a shambled second-story apartment with its roof torn and its contents turned upside down. "We hope to bring both physical and mental comfort to homeowners such as Andrew Loffswold in their hour of emotional devastation and shock," said Perry Witkin, Nechama President and Deployment Team Lead.
When natural disasters occur, such as the tornadoes in Eastern Iowa, there are a number of volunteer organizations that work together in the recovery effort. While Nechama works closely with organizations such as the Federal Management Relief Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army, those organizations provide temporary housing, medical attention, administrative family assistance, and feeding. "Nechama is counted upon for its well-stocked inventory of tools and other equipment and our ability to manage volunteers who are not affiliated with any organization and who, without proper supervision, can create additional problems for communities which have just been hit by a disaster," said Ken Strieff, Nechama Deployment Manager.
Nechama organizes, trains, and equips its volunteers to prepare and respond to natural disasters. They will assess storm damage; chain saw and remove fallen trees; pump flood water from rooms and basements; remove contaminated building materials, appliances and personal effects; sanitize and dry surfaces to prevent mold growth; and otherwise prepare homes to be reoccupied by the owners so that fix-up and reconstruction may begin. "Our volunteers will turn utter chaos and destruction into an immediate sense that things are starting to get back to normal in Eastern Iowa," said Streiff.
Since Nechama provides help on a most critical needs basis, the people that they serve are generally the most vulnerable during natural disaster events: the elderly, the poor, single parents, and people with disabilities or other health problems.
If you're longing to do something really important and have a memorable and life-affirming experience, and if you like tools, then contact Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster at 763-732-0610 or email: info@nechama.org. Nechama is looking for volunteers to join them in the Eastern Iowa Tornado Relief Efforts. You must be in good physical condition, must have health insurance, must be at least 18 years of age, must provide own round-trip transportation and must provide own personal work clothes, including sturdy boots and rain gear. For more information, check out: www.nechama.org
About Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster:
Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer organization. Nechama ("to comfort" in Hebrew) provides volunteers with the opportunity to provide hope and clean-up assistance to homeowners who have been affected by natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Their mission is based on the Jewish value of 'Tikkun Olam' - repairing the world through acts of goodness.
Nechama brings both physical and mental comfort to the homeowner in their hour of emotional devastation and shock. And because much of our work is in areas without large Jewish populations, their efforts also help to combat anti-Semitism. They work shoulder-to-shoulder with homeowners in urban and rural areas. Because the organization provides help on a most critical needs basis, the people that it serves are generally the most vulnerable during natural disaster events: the elderly, the poor, single parents, and people with disabilities or other health problems. All of these groups generally find it difficult to cope both physically and mentally with beginning to clean-up from natural disasters. Nechama offers its services free of charge and does not solicit donations from persons helped.
Twisters, high wind, and hail toppled trees and cut off power to thousands across the region. MidAmerican energy reported 7000 homes and businesses in eastern Iowa were still without power on Friday morning. Andrew Loffswold told ABC News that he fled his apartment as he heard the howling winds of an oncoming twister grow louder, only to return to a shambled second-story apartment with its roof torn and its contents turned upside down. "We hope to bring both physical and mental comfort to homeowners such as Andrew Loffswold in their hour of emotional devastation and shock," said Perry Witkin, Nechama President and Deployment Team Lead.
When natural disasters occur, such as the tornadoes in Eastern Iowa, there are a number of volunteer organizations that work together in the recovery effort. While Nechama works closely with organizations such as the Federal Management Relief Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army, those organizations provide temporary housing, medical attention, administrative family assistance, and feeding. "Nechama is counted upon for its well-stocked inventory of tools and other equipment and our ability to manage volunteers who are not affiliated with any organization and who, without proper supervision, can create additional problems for communities which have just been hit by a disaster," said Ken Strieff, Nechama Deployment Manager.
Nechama organizes, trains, and equips its volunteers to prepare and respond to natural disasters. They will assess storm damage; chain saw and remove fallen trees; pump flood water from rooms and basements; remove contaminated building materials, appliances and personal effects; sanitize and dry surfaces to prevent mold growth; and otherwise prepare homes to be reoccupied by the owners so that fix-up and reconstruction may begin. "Our volunteers will turn utter chaos and destruction into an immediate sense that things are starting to get back to normal in Eastern Iowa," said Streiff.
Since Nechama provides help on a most critical needs basis, the people that they serve are generally the most vulnerable during natural disaster events: the elderly, the poor, single parents, and people with disabilities or other health problems.
If you're longing to do something really important and have a memorable and life-affirming experience, and if you like tools, then contact Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster at 763-732-0610 or email: info@nechama.org. Nechama is looking for volunteers to join them in the Eastern Iowa Tornado Relief Efforts. You must be in good physical condition, must have health insurance, must be at least 18 years of age, must provide own round-trip transportation and must provide own personal work clothes, including sturdy boots and rain gear. For more information, check out: www.nechama.org
About Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster:
Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer organization. Nechama ("to comfort" in Hebrew) provides volunteers with the opportunity to provide hope and clean-up assistance to homeowners who have been affected by natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Their mission is based on the Jewish value of 'Tikkun Olam' - repairing the world through acts of goodness.
Nechama brings both physical and mental comfort to the homeowner in their hour of emotional devastation and shock. And because much of our work is in areas without large Jewish populations, their efforts also help to combat anti-Semitism. They work shoulder-to-shoulder with homeowners in urban and rural areas. Because the organization provides help on a most critical needs basis, the people that it serves are generally the most vulnerable during natural disaster events: the elderly, the poor, single parents, and people with disabilities or other health problems. All of these groups generally find it difficult to cope both physically and mentally with beginning to clean-up from natural disasters. Nechama offers its services free of charge and does not solicit donations from persons helped.
Posted by Seth Gardner
in Press Release
