USVI HURRICANE UPDATE - ST. THOMAS & ST. JOHN (JUNE 2018) DISASTER PROFILE On September 6, 2017 Hurricane Irma slammed into the US Virgin Islands as a Category 5 storm, with record wind speed of 200 mph. The islands suffered severe wind and flood damage, reducing many areas to rubble. In light of the almost total devastation, All Hands and Hearts sent a Rapid Response Team to the islands. Less than two weeks later, the team was evacuated due to Hurricane Maria, which struck the islands on September 20 as a Category 4 storm.
OUR RESPONSE Thanks to critical support from partners like Norwegian Cruise Lines, donors, local community, and volunteers from around the world, All Hands and Hearts - Smart Response has run an impactful program on St. Thomas since September 27th, 2017 and St. John since February 16th, 2018. We have responded to the outcry for help with debris removal, mucking and gutting, mold sanitization, and minor repairs on homes and schools throughout the community.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES As we continue our response work (mucking, gutting and sanitizing), we have also begun repairs on child care facilities. Volunteers travel to job sites each morning and return each evening to our base for a nightly meeting recapping the day. With 20 - 50 volunteers on base at one time, over 26 nationalities have been represented since September. We have made a long-term commitment to help the USVI recover and our work is just beginning.
Team leader Hana Wyatt oversees her crew as they work on a badly damaged home. The upper floor was completely blown off, and the lower floor was flooded and structurally compromised. Over a few days, the team will clear all of the debris and construction material so it will be possible to begin rebuilding.
Volunteer Orion Stubbs reads messages of thanks posted in the same living area in homeowner Sharon McKee’s damaged house, following cleaning and clearing by All Hands and Hearts. Sharon and husband David reached out to a local restaurant to sponsor a surprise catered lunch for the All Hands and Hearts team working on their property.
OUR IMPACT
5,893
PEOPLE ASSISTED
1,032
JOBS COMPLETED
864
VOLUNTEERS
15,496
VOLUNTEER DAYS
Homeowner Experience "We're in April," Leticia Duncan says. "Hurricanes were in September. I'm still homeless. I still go by my sister's sometimes, I still go by my friends' sometimes, and they understand. They are not mad, they don't get upset. But… asking for help and getting help is a challenge. Some people come and help, some don't. Honestly and truly, All Hands and Hearts is the first. Honest to God, the first that actually came here and made me feel good… I'm not lying. You're the first who actually said, 'I can help you.' Everyone was else was saying, 'I can't help you.' They saw the condition of my house and didn't lie, didn't sugar coat. They said straight up, 'I can not help you.'”
Helping Schools Little Blossom Day Care is a family-owned business and woven into the fabric of the community. Due to storm damage, over 30 children were without a place to learn. Our volunteers worked to repair the structure and added a hurricane-resilient roof. See here a video of the impact we were able to have !
OUR MISSION To effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. By listening to local people, and deploying a unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, we rebuild safe, resilient schools, homes and other community infrastructure.
OUR PARTNERS
4 YEARS IN A ROW! Only 13% of charities have received at least 4 consecutive 4-star ratings. This means All Hands and Hearts outperforms most of the other 1.5 million charities in America in operational and financial efficiency.
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For additional information: Ethan. C Yake, Chief Partnership Officer ethan@allhandsandhearts.org or (518) 669-7147 www.allhandsandhearts.org