VFF and CREW

Milestone Reached in Hendry County's Long-Term Recovery Effort

By Liza McFadden
President, CEO
Volunteer Florida Foundation


Volunteer Florida Foundation joined with the Community Rebuilding Ecumenical Workforce (CREW) to assist in the process of assisting FEMA to find solutions for families impacted by Hurricane Wilma. The community as a whole has done a commendable job of taking over the mantle of responsibility for recovery efforts that will continue.

Even while the majority of FEMA’s work is completed, the nonprofit and faith-based groups serving Hendry County will continue to assist those who were hardest hit and those who are most vulnerable because, as everyone who lived through Wilma knows, every survivor has his or her individual circumstances to cope with while overcoming the challenges created by wind, rain and flood.

Dozens of people are still in temporary housing and will need additional help and guidance in finding long-term safe and secure shelter. This work is ahead of us and I believe the resources and the community’s caring spirit will prevail.

Yet, much has already been accomplished. Hundreds of FEMA trailers were brought in after the hurricane swept through. Just over 140 remained in FEMA trailers, as we embarked on this ambitious project in February, 2007 to find shelter for these families before FEMA’s April 24 deadline.

CREW did this work with funds made available by FEMA and the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund, managed by Volunteer Florida Foundation, along with the added resources and cooperation of City of Clewiston and other agencies. Of course, there have been numerous volunteers who have pitched in for months on end, not ending their efforts a few weeks after the hurricane.

FEMA was a responsive partner, bringing about $70,000 to assist with funding CREW’s staff for this project. Volunteer Florida Foundation also provided over $65,000 Disaster Recovery Fund private dollars to assist with unmet needs, covering such things as first and last month’s rent for many who had not been able to save for the day they would need to move from the trailers.

Other major partners that financially contributed to the success of this project include the American Red Cross and the American Association of Retired Persons.

Hendry County has risen to the challenge with tremendous commitment and compassion. It’s truly rewarding to work with groups such as the CREW, and I applaud them for taking on a task that, if it had been easy, would have already been accomplished. What's been done in Hendry County is what leadership is all about.

Affordable housing is a challenge all Florida communities face, even more so in the wake of the swarm of hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. It will take time to cobble together broad-based solutions, but in the meantime, Hendry County’s caring spirit has been a blessing to so many in the community in their time of need.

I thank all the groups that were part of this humanitarian project, particularly FEMA and CREW both of which did the heaviest lifting during the final two months.

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Liza McFadden is president and CEO of Volunteer Florida Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that manages the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund. She is based in Tallahassee.