CREW's September Report

SEPTEMBER MONTHLY REPORT

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

We are still helping our families surviving Hurricane Wilma, the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. We also continue to help families affected by Tropical Storm Fay, 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 have successfully helped all of our Tropical Storm Ernesto families.

We are no longer taking applications for cases from these storms, and God willing we will be able to close our current cases soon and will have no more storms in our area to assist with.
Since May, 2006 to the end of September 2009, we have had 106 volunteer groups and 328 individual volunteers who have donated 26,458.50 hours for a cumulative in kind donation of $529,170.00. 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 $426,275.00. We have also been donated storage space for a total in kind donation for the year of $1,420.00.

On September 25, 2009, East Lake United Methodist Church returned with 5 volunteers. They worked in Labelle, installing some underlay for the floor and vinyl tile. They worked for a cumulative total of 50 hours for an in-kind donation of $1000. The group arrived on Friday night and spent the night at the First United Methodist Church for the night. They have been coming regularly to help us for years and will be back in October.

We held an LTRO meeting this month which included 5 volunteers and was held in space graciously donated by Hendry Regional Medical Center who also donated meals for the group. Our next meeting will be in November 19th @ 12:30.

We have been donated 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 $1,420.

In September we had 54 hours donated for an in kind value of $1080.00. The total in kind donated from the churches for meals and housing and meeting room and storage this month was $405.00.

We currently have 806 total cases. 795 of these have been closed.

Here is a neat story about two that were closed this month! Maria is a 61 year old woman who has battled Polio her entire life. She cannot read or write, she lives in Monutra with her husband who supports them by mowing grass for the area. Tropical Storm Faye damaged their roof, doors and interior walls. Two volunteers from Orlando, not connected to any church or other volunteer group came and made the repairs needed in her home. Sandra is a disabled widow who lives in Palmdale. Tropical Storm Fay damaged the roof and skirting on her trailer. A youth group from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Maryland repaired her roof, ceiling and skirting.

We have thirty seven total cases currently being worked on by case managers, ten are awaiting documentation from the families until we can officially open them, four are FEMA cases. We have referred thirty cases to Centro Campesino, and are waiting for them to see who they can help and with what. We currently have half our cases fully funded waiting for volunteers to make repairs. Due to time constraints we are also going to be hiring contractors to help complete some of the work. We were able to close six cases this month with all needs being met, thanks to our great volunteers and case managers!

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.

A Board of Directors meeting was held on September 17th. The next meeting will be November 19th at 12:00 at HRMC. Our next LTRO meeting will be at 12:30 following this meeting at the same location.

Our financial status is grim and we are just barely making ends meet, especially in terms of office supplies and administrative costs. We encourage you to help with our upcoming fundraiser by donating baked goods and items for our yard sale, or by donating any funds you may have, we know that these times are tough economically for all. In September we were able to raise $19,914.76; however this did not cover the month’s expenses of $28,172.96.

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. We also need volunteers to help with our upcoming yard sale in November. 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