Live Updates from the Field

100 Families Transition to Bridge Housing

A major milestone: the first 100 families who lost their homes moved from our emergency shelter into temporary bridge housing. These homes were provided through partnerships with local landlords and a rapid-placement program funded entirely by donations. Each family now has privacy, stability, and the breathing room to begin rebuilding.

Job Training Program Reaches 600 Enrollees

Our partnership with the state's workforce development office has trained over 600 displaced workers in high-demand skills: CDL truck driving, construction management, HVAC, and healthcare certifications. The program is completely free, and 67% of graduates find employment within 2 weeks.

This week, we celebrated 94 new placements, with average starting wages of $18.50/hour — a lifeline for families rebuilding from zero.

Mobile Clinic Provides 312 Medical Visits

Our medical team completed another week of comprehensive care. The mobile clinic is now stationed at three shelter locations, offering wound care, medication management, chronic disease monitoring, and mental health support. Patients receive all services at no cost.

$500K Fundraising Milestone Achieved

Thanks to the generosity of 4,847 individual donors and 12 corporate matching grants, we hit the $500,000 mark. This funding is enabling us to extend our shelter operations for two more months, expand job training to 800 participants, and provide direct financial aid grants to the most vulnerable families.

We still need $250,000 to meet our $750,000 goal and fully fund our recovery vision. Every donation brings us closer to long-term stability for 847 families.

Two Weeks In: Emergency Shelter Now Serves 623 Families

19 days after Hurricane Elena made landfall, we're now providing shelter, meals, and support services to 623 families. The emergency shelter at the county fairgrounds is operating at full capacity, with a second location opening next week to accommodate the remaining 224 families awaiting placement.

Hurricane Elena Makes Landfall

At 3:47 PM, Hurricane Elena made landfall near the coast with sustained winds of 142 mph. Within hours, our emergency response team was mobilized. By midnight, we had secured the county fairgrounds and begun setting up our first emergency shelter. By dawn on August 13, we were serving 47 families their first hot meal.