Habitat for Humanity History with Tornadoes
Since Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1965, they provided sufficient aid to many victims of tornadoes. While Joplin has been a more recent project of theirs, they have provided help to many of the states included in Tornado alley (Fig 1.1). Some significant ones include the Camilla, GA in 2000, Jackson, TN in 2003, Americus, GA in 2007, and Tuscaloosa, AL in April of 2011 (Americus Times Recorder). (Fig 1.2)
In May 2003 a tornado hit the area of Jackson, TN and Habitat for Humanity initiated a tornado recovery program to help families affected by the tornado rebuild their homes. There were 26 families that were greatly affected by the tornado. As part of a broader alliance, a series of partnerships were created to help support these families (Habitat for Humanity Disaster Programs).
Just as the partnerships and alliances helped those in Jackson, TN, Habitat for Humanity also worked with other groups to help aid a tornado in Americus, GA in 2007. On March 1, 2007 a tornado ripped through the hometown of Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat donated $42,297, the remainder of its tornado-recovery funds, to three of Americus' major areas: Sumter Regional Hospital Foundation, the city's landscape, and New Horizons Habitat for Humanity. The funds donated to the Hospital Foundation went towards its rebuilding, considering it sustained great damage from the tornado. This grant also went towards replacing the landscape in public areas that were affected by the storm. Finally, some of this money also went to Habitat’s affiliate, New Horizons Habitat for Humanity that contributed to the rebuilding of houses (Americus Times Recorder).
Other volunteer groups associated with Habitat for Humanity also contributed to aiding the tornado struck this Georgia area. Some of these groups, including RV Care-A Vanners, invested nearly 6,000 hours of service that provided assistance in cleaning up following the tornado. Sumter Disaster Recovery by Dell Inc., another partner of Habitat, contributed by donating computers, while Thrivent Financial for Lutherans donated a dozen 20- and 25-inch commercial grade chainsaws. Finally, Lowe’s, a national corporation, provided other and tools and materials (Americus Times Recorder).
Just as Habitat for Humanity has contributed their time and efforts to aid many states such as the previously stated states of Tennessee and Georgia within Tornado Alley, Habitat for Humanity has also offered relieve to Alabama. In 2011 an EF-4 tornado hit Tuscaloosa County, AL, killing 41 people in Tuscaloosa Co., and killing a total 350 people in all six states that were affected by the storm. Thirty of the deaths in Tuscaloosa were associated with poor housing according to the Sheriff’s Office. One family recalls everything that had happened on that Easter weekend to them as they huddled in the hallway of their Habitat home. Jenny Olivia and her 3 children had been outside before the storm started to pick up a little before 5 pm. One of the children even recalls seeing the tornado across the street and the sound of a jet engine in front of them. Olvia recalls how supportive their community was as well as Habitat for Humanity. The town, as well as Olvia, views Habitat as a valuable organization to have as part of their community. (Duley, Sellers).
In Birmingham, AL, one of the areas affected set out to rebuild its homes during a weeklong Build-a-Thon. (Habitat has a Build-a-Thon annually in order to bring AmeriCorps members together as well as Habitat for Humanity alums for a weeklong building blitz). (Fig 1.3) Habitat for Humanity helped to reconstruct houses that were completely demolished as well as helping to repair minor damages to homes that had missing roofs, shingles, siding, and doors in areas that were less affected. Habitat even had to start over on a current house that they were building, as the frame was completely twisted, calling for the deconstruction of the house in order to rebuild it effectively (Duley, Sellers).
While these are examples of major historical tornadoes in which Habitat for Humanity has distributed aid to the survivors of these tornadoes, they also have contributed to many other minor incidences. There are Habitat offices that provide assistance on a more local level, including one in Bloomington, IL, including a Habitat Affiliate office and a ReStore location. These past historical incidences of heavy tornado damage and Habitat for Humanity’s response reveal that it is a charity worthy of our support.
Page created by the "Habitat for Humanity Research Group" at Illinois State University, Geology 207 Honors Section
References:
Build-A-Thon. Retrieved October 28, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/americorps/stories/Story05_10_2011_Birm.aspx#P0_0. Image.
“Disaster Response Programs.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/disaster/programs/programs_01_05.aspx
Duley, Michele. “Repairing Tornado Damaged Homes in Birmingham.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/americorps/stories/Story05_10_2011_Birm.aspx#P0_0. “Habitat for Humanity International grants more than $42,000 to help with tornado recovery”. Americus Times Recorder. September 14, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?sid=3a409e87-25b0-4c14-9a81 a35921895b3e%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W62W6107496638
Sellers, Julia. “Still Blessed, one Family Begins Rebuilding Their Lives.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/americorps/stories/Tornados_story.aspx#P0_0
Tornado Alley. Grannymountain.blogspot.com. Retrieved October 18, 2011. Image
“Disaster Response Programs.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/disaster/programs/programs_01_05.aspx
Duley, Michele. “Repairing Tornado Damaged Homes in Birmingham.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/americorps/stories/Story05_10_2011_Birm.aspx#P0_0. “Habitat for Humanity International grants more than $42,000 to help with tornado recovery”. Americus Times Recorder. September 14, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?sid=3a409e87-25b0-4c14-9a81 a35921895b3e%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W62W6107496638
Sellers, Julia. “Still Blessed, one Family Begins Rebuilding Their Lives.” Habitat for Humanity. Retrieved October 13, 2011. http://www.habitat.org/americorps/stories/Tornados_story.aspx#P0_0
Tornado Alley. Grannymountain.blogspot.com. Retrieved October 18, 2011. Image