CREW's Februrary Monthly Report

Love was in abundance this February, from donors to volunteers, CREW found lots of groups and individuals to show their love to our rural community this month.

Our LTRO (Long Term Recovery Organization) and Unmet Needs meeting is on the 4th Thursdays of the month. Our Board of Directors meeting is on the Monday of the prior week. Both meetings are held at Hendry Regional Medical Center.

Although we are no longer funded to help with the FEMA close out project, we have continued to do so. We are still trying to find funding for three clients we had hoped to get from the City but have been unable to do so.

Volunteers continue to be our greatest resource. Two individual Baptist volunteers (not here as part of a mission from any particular church) came from Virginia for the week of February 1, 2008 through February 7, 2008 to help make some repairs to Maria with drywall, installing doors, and windows, working in the office to help with some filing and general office duties. They stayed in their RV at the Wayside Park owned by Hendry County, who generously lets our volunteers stay there free of charge, valued at $100 for the week. The assisted with 65 hours for a total in kind donation of $1202.50. The First United Methodist Church of Clewiston provided two meals for this group for a total in kind donation of $14.00.

On February 18, 2008 we had a volunteer donate 2.75 hours for a total in kind donation of $51.56. This volunteer is from the New Harvest Pentecostal Church. He worked on laying down the stakes for the pad for Pam, the client we are doing a total rebuild for.

CRWRC Disaster Response Services (http://www.crcna.org/pages/crwrc_drscurrent.cfm) continues to send volunteers this month. They have a large group of volunteers in Palm Beach County helping out the Hurricane Wilma victim in the Western part of the county. They have an overflow of volunteers who are helping us with our repairs. They sent six volunteers to come and help on three homes. They worked on flooring and completed the repairs for Iris. They completed a roof repair and drywall, a sink repair and counter top for Bernadette. This group did drywall; molding and a roof vent repairs for Debra. They donated a total of 553 hours for an in kind donation of $10,368.75.

CRWRC has also sent a group of four volunteers to work on installing screens for Eunice and replacing drywall for Cynthia during the week of February 25, 2008 through February 29, 2008, they have worked a total of 56 hours for a total in kind donation of $1050.00, This group will also be working for the next two weeks on several other projects.

Manassas St. Thomas UMC http://www.mstumc.org/missions/mission%20trips.html
from Virginia teamed up with Creekside United Methodist Church in Cummings Georgia http://www.creekside.net/default.aspx sent 23 volunteers this time to help with the house that we are currently building for Pam. They were also here in November. This group was so large that we split them in to two groups. One group worked on the house, framing and sheathing, they have installed the trusses and will possibly be working on installing the windows and doors by Friday. The other half of this group have been working at Ana, replacing the roof and repairing the siding and skirting. This group stayed at the First United Methodist Church of Clewiston. The Methodist Church provided a meal as well. The Community Presbyterian Church also provided a meal while the group was here. Trish provided a meal for 3 volunteers for a total of $21.00 in kind donations. Chuck and Sally Hager provided a meal on Tuesday for the group. This group worked a total of 1211 hours for a total in kind donation of $22706.25. The meals provided total an in kind donation of $609.00. The housing totals an in kind donation of $460.00. This group donated a total of $200.00 cash to CREW as well, and also donated money to the First United Methodist Church of Clewiston where they stayed.

As of February 29th in Hendry County 63 cases have been assigned to case managers who have updated recovery plans in all of these cases. There are 10 cases assigned to a case manager that are pending documentation before they are officially opened.

In Glades County, 10 cases have been assigned to case managers and 8 of these have updated recovery plans completed or in the process of completion. There are 3 cases assigned to a case manager that are pending documentation before they are officially opened.

In February 18 cases have been closed in Hendry County, with all clients’ needs being met or client’s refusal of services. In February 0 cases in Glades County have been closed. To date there are 3 unassigned cases in Hendry County. To date there is 1 unassigned case in Glades County.

This department currently has 2 full time and 2 half time case managers that are reviewing case information. Case managers are contacting clients to get needed documentation as quickly as possible. Total overall open cases: 73 Total not currently opened pending documentation: 18

Although we still work with The Empowerment Alliance of South West Florida we are no longer sharing a staff member or office space with them.

Since March of last year, C.R.E.W. has been working with FEMA, Hendry County, and the City of Clewiston to find suitable housing solutions for FEMA clients still housed in FEMA units as of April 24, 2004. Originally, FEMA gave C.R.E.W. a list of 65 families whom FEMA believed would be in need of additional assistance. Additionally, the city of Clewiston supplied a list of approximately 20 other families residing in FEMA mobile homes on non conforming lots inside Clewiston City Limits. Of these cases, C.R.E.W. was able to help the majority of these families find permanent housing solutions. We were able to close one of them in February. We have been unable to close 23of these cases. Three of these are in need of funding that we expected but did not receive. The rest are either waiting on permits, in the process of being set up, or waiting for the families to raise the money needed to transfer their titles.

Our construction coordinator has assessed 16 homes, 12 to assist Catholic Charities in the hopes that they can provide funding for the families. He supervised and assisted in getting needed materials and having jobs lined up for the volunteers mentioned above. The total cost of the projects done by volunteers was $6000 (not including the rebuild which should cost about $60,000 total).

We received in kind donations this month as well. We received a box of nails fro the Manassas VA group, a mattress and box spring from a member of the FUMC in Clewiston, paint from two clients to use on their houses, and a giant tarp from a client. The total value of the in kind donations was $275.00.

We also received word that we were approved for our PDA grant finally! We expect the first check soon.

This was a busy month; Trish attended the Build Your Mission training put on by Volunteer Florida Foundation and the Florida Institute of Government, as well as staff meetings at the United Way in Ft. Myers. Trish hosted the Manassas volunteer group for dinner at her house and Chuck and his Wife hosted a fish fry for the group at the Methodist Church in Clewiston. This was their fourth trip to Clewiston to help repair homes. Trish assisted the United Way booth and provided them with CREW Flyer's at the Swamp Cabbage Festival. Trish also submitted a grant request for $5000 to The Home Depot. Hilda attended the Small Business forum where owners were to discuss commercial insurance and the nuts and bolts of it hosted by Regional Director of the Florida Department of Financial Services, Mr. John Fischer. Trish also participated in Conference calls with VFF and Florida VOAD. Trish picked up donated mattress and box spring this month from a local “snow bird” couple that is old friends of CREW. Trish also assisted in preparation for and implementation of the Love Rocks fundraiser for Untied Way in Labelle at the Barron House, and donated left over orange juice from the event to the local FUMC in Clewiston. CREW presented 14 new cases, and provided updates on 33 cases at our Unmet Needs Meeting.

We currently have $159,678.75 in the bank ($113,187.03- less outstanding checks). We deposited $69,365.92 this month.

We are working on our 2nd annual fundraising dinner on April 26th; we need donations for the silent auction, and help finding corporate sponsors, and selling tickets. We have asked Wal-Mart for a donation of items for the silent auction and a corporate sponsorship, and they are taking it to their committee. I got a piece of handmade stained glass donated. We need address and organizations that we should send invitations too. We have also contacted Family Dollar and Cato’s as well.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDS!!!!
We need volunteers who can help repair homes, but also need volunteers to assist in the office, as well to help work booths at the upcoming fairs and festivals throughout Hendry and Glades Counties. We are currently in need of a shredder that can handle the amount of shredding necessary to keep our clients information confidential. We desperately need a shredder and a volunteer to help shred the back load of paperwork, since our shredder died.
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

Donations can be sent to 352 W. Arcade Ave., Clewiston, Florida 33440. We are a registered non-profit and donations are tax deductible. Call Renee to volunteer at (863) 983-2390.

Visit our blog site to learn more about what we are up to and to see pictures. http://huricanerecovery.blogspot.com/

Please feel free to check out our calendar of events to see when volunteers are coming and find out what our staff members are up to! http://calendar.msn.com/trishadamslcsw@hotmail.com