Here's the latest from the Convoy site:
First Gustav Distribution Site Opens to Full Capacity
“We didn’t know what we were going to get into when we volunteered to help, but it’s been extremely rewarding” said Convoy of Hope volunteer Travis Spencer. “Pulling into town with a fleet of Convoy of Hope trucks, the State Police escorted us, putting squad cars at every intersection so that we could sail right through. Sirens were blaring, people looking out of their doors and windows and seeing a caravan of the red, white and blue flagged Convoy of Hope trucks.”
Spencer is part of a five-man team from Mattoon, Illinois, that is volunteering to help Convoy of Hope with its response to Hurricane Gustav. You can help!
Convoy of Hope established a Point of Distribution (POD) to serve victims in New Iberia, La., which has a population of 33,000. The POD has experienced nonstop traffic since it opened at 7 a.m. Wednesday. “It’s been a bumper-to-bumper line of vehicles that has no end – it’s at least a mile long.” Spencer said that the team served more than 2,000 families by mid-afternoon. He’s been told that power and clean running water are not expected to be available for at least another 7 to 14 days.
Additional relief supplies — water, food and ice — are being distributed in Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, and Houma, Louisiana.
Convoy of Hope continues to monitor the development of potential hurricanes – Hannah, Ike and Josephine — which could increase demands on our fleet of trucks and relief workers.
“When disasters occur, our first impulse is to respond with all the force we can to help as many people as we can,” said Hal Donaldson, President of Convoy of Hope. “We worry about how we’re going to pay for it later, believing that people will give generously if they know that others are getting real help.”
Your online gift will be put to immediate use bringing help and hope to the victims of Gustav and the storms that are following closely.
Spencer said that people in the Gulf are appreciative of the help from Convoy of Hope, “So many people have been expressing gratitude for receiving something as simple as ice. Some are diabetics and need to keep their insulin cool.”
“When victims learn that we came from other states just to help them, they’re amazed and say how much they appreciate us and the people who are making this possible,” he said.
