Coastal Residents Scatter as Gustav Approaches
Food Banks Ready to Assist Relief Efforts in the Wake of the Storm
CHICAGO, August 31, 2008 – Almost three years to the date after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Gustav threatens communities from Texas to Florida, forcing thousands to flee their home. The Gulf Coast food banks of the Feeding America network, formerly named the America’s Second Harvest network, are readying themselves to assist residents caught in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization with more than 200 food banks in its membership. In 2005, Feeding America food banks participated in the relief efforts feeding more than 6.5 million people after Hurricane Katrina devastated cities from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama.
Most models now have Gustav making landfall late Monday in Southwestern Louisiana. There are still some models indicating the storm could shift further west and make landfall in Texas. Either way, it looks like the storm will continue over Texas during the day following landfall resulting in significant flooding in East Texas.
“The Feeding America Network is a critical part of the disaster relief infrastructure,” said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America, which will formally switch from America’s Second Harvest on September 1. “Feeding America is only one of dozens of relief organizations working in disaster relief for this operation. Our primary mission remains providing emergency food distribution throughout the year. Our operations ramp up significantly in times of disaster to help communities caught in the grips of tragedy.”
Feeding America efforts supplement the overall response local agencies and FEMA provide to disaster clients. Food and grocery products are central to help communities rebuild in the aftermath of a hurricane or any disaster.
“Feeding America will deploy its Immediate Disaster Area Reconnaissance Team (IDART) as soon as it is safe and practicable,” said Patrick Crawford, Director of Disaster Services for Feeding America. “This team will be deployed to assess the type and amount of assistance that will be needed from our network of food banks and could expand as a support of incident management team if warranted.”
During the initial stages of the relief effort, Feeding America food banks are often able to provide sheltering support for those who have evacuated their homes or cannot return to their homes due to disaster damage. In the weeks following a significant disaster, the Feeding America network helps disaster victims with basic food items to replace food that may have been lost in the storm or to provide some food assistance as they attempt to put their lives back together.
Feeding America supports disaster relief and recovery in communities by distributing assistance through the more than 63,000 local agencies that it supports on a daily basis. Feeding America also provides immediate relief through emergency feeding centers.
Your financial gift to our disaster relief efforts will help us continue our work to provide emergency food products and personal care items to individuals and families in need immediately following an incident. Please visit supportfeedingamerica.org/disaster to make a financial donation.
Feeding America is a key outlet for many corporate partners to get their donations into the system and to the people with great needs – especially as affected communities attempt to recover in the weeks after the storm. Major food manufacturers or retailers with bulk, shrink-wrapped and palletized food and grocery products are urged to contact Feeding America at 312-263-2303 to share information of their potential donation. Please note, based on the location and make-up of those donations, product may or may not be used for disaster relief efforts. Feeding America corporate representatives will help donors determine the best use for their potential donation.
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About Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network)
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.
Contact:
Phil Zepeda
Office: 312.641.6420
Cell: 312.622.2640
Heather Lylis
Office: 212-691-2800
Cell: 917-797-4856
