Families still rebuilding almost
a year after Hurricane Ike
TEXAS -- Almost a year has passed since Hurricane Ike hit on Sept. 13, 2008, but thousands of families along the Texas Gulf Coast are still working to rebuild their lives.
RISE (Recovery for Ike Survivors Enterprise) is a disaster case management program operated by Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response that was launched in late May. The program will provide help, support and advocacy for more than 13,000 families in 16 counties of southeast Texas.
LSS and 10 RISE partner agencies are already serving over 1,000 families in the service area. The agencies are aggressively making an effort to contact as many people as possible who may have needs because their lives were disrupted by Ike. RISE partners have also contacted elected officials in the 16 counites so they can refer constituents who need help. They also are working with local long-term recovery committees and other agencies to identify and help clients.
“We are concerned that there are still people out there who need help, and we do not want anyone falling through the cracks,” said Heather Gatlin, vice president of Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response. “Our case managers are working hard to reach Ike survivors who may still have unmet needs.”
The program is part of a $24.3 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The program serves clients who lived in the following counties at the time of the storm: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Orange, Walker, Waller and Washington.
Ike survivors are encouraged to call toll-free to 1-888-453-7473 (1-888-IKE-RISE) to determine if they qualify for services. Once they complete an intake, they are assigned to a RISE case manager who will work with the survivor to assess their disaster-related needs, develop plans to get back on their feet, and connect survivors to services and resources to meet these needs. It is the goal of the RISE program to help Hurricane Ike survivors return to their pre-disaster lives.
Currently there is a great need to help people still recovering from Ike, Gatlin said. Needs range from clothing and furniture to legal assistance in obtaining clear titles to homes so that residents can begin the repair process.
“We are asking for the community’s help in identifying resources for Ike survivors,” Gatlin said.
For more information about RISE disaster case management services or to share information about resources, please visit www.texasrise.org or call 1-888-453-7473.
RISE partner agencies include Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, Boat People SOS; Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, GMC Consultants LLC; G.R.A.C.E. Community Services; Gulf Coast Center; ICNA Relief USA; Mainland Children’s Partnership; Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization; Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Beaumont/Dallas; and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Houston.
LSSDR is an affiliated program of Lutheran Social Services of the South, a multi-faceted social service agency that serves more than 35,000 people annually throughout Texas and Louisiana. Programs include disaster response, foster care, international and domestic adoption, unplanned pregnancy services, post-adoption services, independent and assisted living, skilled nursing care and rehabilitation services, adult day care, geriatric care management and emergency assistance. LSSDR provides services without regard to religion, gender, ethnicity or race.
