Et cetera : NCCC’S MAPLE 4 PROVIDES DISTASTER RELIEF IN HENRYVILLE, IN

Hannah Moore, and Lanice Bailey, sort hygiene products to be given to tornado survivors

Lanice Bailey receives food donations from Dare 2 Care intended for tornado survivors

By: Lauren Brostowitz, Maple 4

When two EF-4 tornadoes devastated five counties in Southern Indiana on March 2, 2012, communities were left in disarray. As individuals come together to repair their homes and lives, the AmeriCorps NCCC team, Maple 4, is honored to aid March2Recovery, the official long-term recovery organization, in providing disaster relief to residents of Clark, Jefferson and Washington counties.

Since the team’s May 18 arrival in Henryville, Indiana, Maple 4 continues to assist the warehouse and Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) in helping individuals and families who still have unmet needs after seeking insurance, FEMA and other assistance. Tasks that Maple 4 team members perform include compiling food boxes at the warehouse for distribution, deploying volunteers, making and answering phone calls to homeowners, volunteer groups and various organizations, managing an organized data entry system, and assisting in the kitchen that provides daily meals to those affected by the storms.

Maple 4 member Lanice Bailey, 24, is enjoying the unique opportunity to aid case managers, or “Green Shirts”, in assessing the needs of the community and seeking out necessary funding to continue to provide adequate resources to tornado survivors. 

“Making those connections with survivors and pointing them to the correct resources makes me feel like I’m really helping and understanding where their needs are and how to best direct them,” Bailey said. “I’ve never gotten so many ‘Thank You’s’ for what I’m doing especially from people who have gone through so such devastation. They’re very strong people. Even survivors who have lost everything come in with a smile on their face and are so thankful for assistance.”

In addition to working in Henryville, Indian, the NCCC team devoted 6 hours to help the Louisville Animal Care Society sort clothes at a red tag sale for funding for animal shelters in the greater area. Remaining items were donated to the local Goodwill.