As an optional volunteer opportunity, three of us decided to branch from the group and work for a mobile respite unit. The organization hands out supplies such as toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, and water to residents of hard hit areas. The idea is not to have people depend on our supplies, but have an outlet of people to listen and find resources they many need. Free medical blood pressure and blood sugar checks were also available to those that were interested.
We were able to drive around the lower 9th ward before our shift started. This area was extremely hard hit when the Industrial Canal levy was breached. When the hurricane was over a barge was sitting on houses in this area. The 9th ward was empty. Houses were caved in, completely eroded, or non-existent. It was hard to imagine that progress as been made on this area because it looks as if nothing had been done. This area is extremely slow to repopulate. In this deserted area there was one priest that rebuilt his church by himself. Where houses used to be is fields of weeds surrounding his building. It was awesome to see progress in an area so devastated by Katrina. His parishioners have to drive hours to come to his services.
As the site, I felt rather unhelpful at time because there were so many volunteers, but I did get to talk to a few people, most of who were very upbeat and grateful for the supplies available to them.
When I first started working I was interested to see how many people would drive up in nice cars. I was very skeptical as to why people in expensive cars were, in my eyes, taking advantage of the supplies that some people really needed. I voiced my observations to the other volunteers who understood where I was coming from. They explained that when many people evacuated the city, all they took was their car. When they came back there was nothing left of their house or it was in such bad shape they couldn’t live it in. Their vehicle is the only thing left. Even though houses were gone the house payments still exist. People have to pay for houses that don’t exist and on top of that they are paying rent on another housing unit. It is just a difficult situation that is making the poor poorer and the middle class poor.
For people that have established a new life in the places that they were relocated, it could just be easier to just stay.