CREW, Inc.
944 Harlem Academy Ave
Mailing address: 352 W Arcade Ave.
Clewiston, FL 33440
863-983-2390
FAX: 863-983-8137
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CREW-Community-Rebuilding-Ecumenical-Workforce/156347733503?ref=mf
http://huricanerecovery.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CREWInc
Help CREW by simply shopping though iGive visit this link:http://www.iGive.com/html/refer.cfm?memberid=324218&causeid=35958
Raise money for CREW just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch.com (powered by Yahoo), or shopping online with GoodShop.com. http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx
Or buy Avon products on line, using CREW as your Charity of choice by shopping though: http://www.beautyfundraising.com/

JULY MONTHLY REPORT

CREW continues to struggle with a skeleton CREW and limited funding to help the area’s remaining Hurricane Wilma and Tropical Storm Fay victims. Our activities in July are listed below.

We are still helping our families surviving Hurricane Wilma. Wilma was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the 22nd storm (including the subtropical storm discovered in reanalysis), 13th hurricane, 6th major hurricane, and 4th Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season. We have closed 729 cases from this storm. We have 41 cases still open, 9 of which are FEMA cases we are assisting with. There is another 18 that will be open pending clients bringing in requested documentation and completing our extensive application process to ensure damage is truly Hurricane related.

We are also still helping our families affected by Tropical Storm Fay. Fay was the 6th named storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season which hit our area August 19th. In our area (Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee Counties), Fay caused massive flooding, two deaths in Moorehaven, lots of flooding and wind damage. Roofs were torn apart and homes flooded. We responded by finding volunteers to muck out flooded homes and tarp roofs. We also partnered with the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church to get flood buckets, health kits, vitamins and tarps to people who needed them. We currently have about 56 clients from Fay documented, although not all have requested assistance. 20 are pending documentation to open, 17 are open. We have mucked out 6 homes and tarped 40 homes from this storm (this was prior to the cases even being opened). We worked on electrical work and repaired roofs for two of these clients in November.

We have successfully helped all of our Tropical Storm Ernesto families. Ernesto made landfall August 30th, 2006 in southern Florida, the storm produced a storm tide of about 1 foot (0.3 m) above astronomical tide levels, though no beach erosion was reported. Winds were fairly minor across the state, reaching 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) at a station on Lake Okeechobee. Ernesto dropped heavy rainfall across southwest Florida, with a state maximum of 8.72 inches (221 mm) recorded at South Golden Gate. The rainfall caused the Fisheating Creek to overflow, and some flooding also occurred in portions of Collier County. Floodwaters entered at least 13 homes in Palmdale.

Since May, 2006 to the end of July 2009, we have had 104 volunteer groups and 323 individual volunteers who have donated 26,279.50 hours for a cumulative in kind donation of $52, 5590.00. These groups have also donated supplies and cash for a cumulative total of $7,814.00. The local churches and businesses have also donated space and meals to these volunteers for a cumulative total of $426,175.00.

On July 17, 2009 we had a group of 17 volunteers come from Williamsport Maryland to work for a week. This group consisted of 9 adults and 8 youth. The group stayed at the Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Church while they were here working for an in kind donation of $340.00. The group worked in Palmdale, they tore off the old roof and replaced with a new roof, they also replaced skirting and cleaned up the yard. This group donated a total of 447 hours for an in kind donation of $8940.00. They also donated $250.00 to CREW.

On July 18, 2009 we had a group of 7 arrive from Plymouth Connecticut. The group stayed at the First United Methodist Church of Clewiston for an in kind donation of $140.00. The group worked on two homes while they were here, they worked in Felda replacing the flooring, toilet, shower surround and some drywall in the bathroom, flooring, paneling and ceiling tiles in one bedroom, flooring and tile in the kitchen. This group worked for a total of 175 hours on this project for an in kind donation of $3500.00. They also sent four different individuals to work in Moore Haven and repaired drywall, tile and shower surround in one bathroom, and they also installed an exterior door. The group worked for 66 hours for an in kind donation of $1320.00.

We also had 2 gentlemen from Orlando come and volunteer to do some assessments and some repairs. They worked on assessments for 15 hours for an in kind donation of $300.00. They also worked in Montura repairing an entire bathroom, coolsealing the roof and some minor repairs to the windows, they worked for 158.5 hours for an in kind donation of $3170. They also brought a donation of $505.00 for CREW.

We have been donated a space for storing all of our equipment by Sharon Harris in Moore Haven. This donation was started in January and the total in kind donation equals $1,050.00. Volunteers donated 861.5 hours this months for a total In Kind donations: $17,230.00. The total in kind donated from the churches for meals and housing and meeting room and storage this month was $480.00 and we also received donations by volunteers of $755.00.

We had our bi-monthly LTRO meeting in July at the Hendry Regional Medical Center Conference room for an in kind donation of $92.00. We had 3 volunteers donate 4.5 hours for an in kind donation of $84.38.

We currently have 804 total cases. 772 of these have been closed.

For Hurricane Wilma we have 18 open cases. As of the 31st of 18 cases have been assigned to case managers who have updated recovery plans. There are 5 cases assigned to case managers that are pending documentation before they are officially opened. One case was closed this month due to all clients needs having been met. Two were closed due to non-compliance. Three cases were closed because the damages were not in the living space. We were able to close eight cases overall. We have referred eleven cases to Centro Campesino. We currently have nine cases fully funded waiting for volunteers to make repairs. Four of our cases are open FEMA cases we are assisting with.

For Tropical Storm Fay we have fourteen open cases in, nine have been referred to Centro Campesino. In May, June and July, 7 new applications were started in Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee Counties. As of July 31st we have closed six cases. We have another 13 cases which are pending documentation and another 38 which have not completed their applications yet.

We currently have 2 full time case managers that are reviewing case information for Hurricane Wilma clients. Case managers are contacting clients to get needed documentation as quickly as possible. They are also doing duties of the former construction coordinator (or finding volunteers to do this) and the duties of the volunteer coordinator.

We had an Executive meeting July just prior to our LTRO and Unmet Needs meeting at the Hendry Regional Medical Center Conference room. These meetings are held every other month. Our LTRO (Long Term Recovery Organization) and Unmet Needs meeting has changed and is now meeting bi-monthly on the 3rd Friday of the Month. So our next meeting will be September 17th at 12:30 at HRMC. Our Board of Directors meeting will be at 12:00 just prior to LTRO meeting at the same location.

Trish attended the quarterly Florida VOAD meeting this month and is helping in planning for the National VOAD convention in Orlando in 2010.

We have created a new Facebook page, come check it out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CREW-Community-Rebuilding-Ecumenical-Workforce/156347733503?ref=mf.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDS!!!!
We need volunteers who can help repair homes but also need volunteers to assist in the office. We really want local volunteers, people to invest in their own community. Call Renee to volunteer at (863) 983-2390.

Donations can be sent to 352 W. Arcade Ave., Clewiston, Florida 33440. We are a registered non-profit and donations are tax deductible.

You can also help by simply shopping through the iGive portal and registering CREW as your charity of choice. Simply visit the link below to do so. http://www.iGive.com/html/refer.cfm?memberid=324218&causeid=35958

Or you can shop for Avon products and benefit by CREW by shopping through this link: and using CREW as your Charity of choice by shopping though: http://www.beautyfundraising.com/
Use GoodSearch & GoodShop for CREW! Raise money for your favorite charity (CREW) or school just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch.com (powered by Yahoo), or shopping online with GoodShop.com. http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx