Katrina mom gets a second chance
POSTED: Aug. 27, 2007
By Staci Dennis
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U.S Director of Disaster Relief Jody Herrington, left, surprises Alisha with the news that OBI will restore her home.
OBI volunteer teams install new dry wall to Alisha's home.
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NEW ORLEANS - For Alisha, Hurricane Katrina created the perfect storm.
The single mom lost her home and everything in it when the floodwaters rushed in. To make matters worse, her husband had died just weeks before the storm hit. With no where to turn, she and her son evacuated to Missouri.
The situation went from bad to worse when Alisha found out she had a five-inch tumor that required major surgery to remove. During that time, her 13-year-old son got into trouble and the Missouri court system stepped in and placed Gerard in foster care.
After recovery, Alisha did the necessary requirements to get her son back. She attended parenting classes and fully cooperated with the courts. However, there was one thing holding up the process.
Because her permanent residence in New Orleans is considered "uninhabitable," the courts would not grant custody back to Alisha until she could provide a suitable home for her son.
The judge told Alisha if she could show "reasonable" progress on the rebuilding of her home, then her son could be returned.
Thanks to Operation Blessing, Alisha didn't have to look far to find help in rebuilding her house.
An OBI crewed showed up at Alisha’s home and surprised her with the good news that they were there to help. As an added bonus, a court clerk called from child protective services while the crew was there. Jody Herrington, director of U.S. disaster relief for OBI, told the clerk of the plans to help the family.
"Alisha went bananas," Herrington said. "She was crying and began to hug me and jumped up and down."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Alisha shouted.
For Alisha, OBI has not only given her hope for a home, but a second chance at a new life for her and her son.
One of thousands
Alisha is one of thousands who have received aid since Hurricane Katrina hit two years ago on Aug. 29, 2005.
OBI workers and volunteers were one of the first organizations on the scene providing food, drinks and relief supplies and staging mass food distributions with The Salvation Army. To date, 12.3 million pounds of food and aid have been given to hurricane victims throughout the Gulf Coast.
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Dr. Dale Betterton, left, consults with patients at OBI's medical clinic.
Rat Buster volunteers bait storm drains in New Orleans' upper ninth ward.
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In addition to relief supplies, OBI also purchased heavy equipment, including two 18-ton cranes, to remove trees and major debris so that tarps could be secured on rooftops during initial rebuilding efforts.
Since the hurricane, reconstruction has been a priority for OBI in the New Orleans area, with workers and volunteer crews helping to rebuild dozens of homes as well as restore community centers and parks.
In 2006, OBI opened a free medical and dental clinic. This month, the Mayo Clinic began a 5-month commitment with Operation Blessing to send a team of four doctors each month to volunteer at the medical clinic.
In addition to hosting several large-scale medical events, OBI's clinics have treated more than 28,000 patients and filled nearly 68,000 prescriptions in the New Orleans area.
Longer-term recovery efforts such as OBI's Bugbusters, a mosquito control program and Ratbusters, a rodent control intiative, continue to remain operational in affected areas.
How You Can Help
Be a part of OBI's ongoing disaster relief efforts by making an online donation to help those caught in the midst of disaster.
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