Catholic Charities still on the job 1 year after Isaac; when the media leaves so do most; Catholic Charities still there

One year later, LaPlace woman gets Isaac repairs

Updated: Aug 27, 2013

Written by: Nancy Parker

 

One year later, LaPlace woman gets Isaac repairs

 

 

• One year later, LaPlace woman gets Isaac repairs

   

   
   
 
 
 
 
  

LaPlace, La. -

This week marks a year since Hurricane Isaac brought unprecedented flooding and misery to parts of south Louisiana. Some victims have seen little in the way of recovery since the storm.

Brenda Ola finally is getting some flooring done this week. She's been walking on cement floors since Isaac. Ola has only had sheet rock a couple of months.

"The studs looked great compared to mildew. We lived in a tarped bedroom and a tarped bathroom," she said looking around the bare house.

Ola is disabled. When Isaac's storm surge gave St. John Parish a wake-up call, she was already struggling. She didn't have flood insurance, because she thought she was in a no-flood zone.

Recovery seemed impossible until Catholic Charities called her one day, having retrieved her name from an Isaac recovery group's list,

Toni Wright of Catholic Charities leads the Archdiocese Hurricane Isaac Recovery Assistance. It administers help from FEMA and community- and faith-based groups.

"We estimate right now 30 percent of our client base live in unsafe dwellings. Mold is rampant in homes, and roofs are still leaking. We're serving 1,250 families right now, with a wait list of 1,200," Wright said.

Now crews are completing Ola's tile installation. Alfredo Narvaez has been working with Ola directly. He saw the home a couple of months ago before anything was done.

"The natural inclination is to say Isaac is last year's headline, but the disaster happens in a matter of days. The recovery takes weeks, months, sometimes years," he said.

"A church group came from Iowa and they did the roof. Then a crew came and sheet-rocked, and another crew painted," Ola said.

 

It has been a group effort in giving for a woman who has weathered the storm too long.

Catholic Charities is asking for any Isaac victims who still need assistance to contact them. They also want donations of used furniture for people still struggling to recover.  For more information, go online to http://www.ccano.org.