[slideshow_deploy id=’151886′]
By Erin Smith
On Wednesday, four Bladen County families who suffered damages from Hurricane Florence received assistance in the form of new furniture to fill their homes. Men and Women United for Youth and Families teamed up with Designing Station to assist the families who had lost their furniture as a result of the storm.
The first stop was at Arcadia Apartments in East Arcadia at the home of Jenny Henry. A blue tarp still clung to the roof of her apartment and a neighboring unit reminding visitors of the devastation wrought by the storm.
Mrs. Henry was excited when the truck arrived with her new furniture. “It’s a blessing,” said Henry of the furniture. “I lost all of my stuff and I was going to have to go back in debt (to replace it). Just prayed and then a miracle happened.”
She said she was able to evacuate her house and traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to stay with her daughter during Hurricane Florence. Mrs. Henry said when she returned home she found water had come into her apartment and her furniture was ruined.
A friend gave her a recliner to use until she get more furniture.
Also receiving furniture on Wednesday were:
*Ms. Roschonda Anderson, 24, of Wright Street, Elizabethtown, who is a single mom who was displaced by the storm and lost everything. Rev. Keith Graham, who is the Disaster Relief Case Manager with Men and Women United for Youth and Families, said Ms. Anderson and her 4-year-old son have moved into an apartment in Lewis Village in Elizabethtown.
*Ms Sharon Wright, 78, of of Emma Street, Elizabethtown, whose house was severely damaged, is also in the process of trying to recover, said Rev. Graham. A delivery was made to her residence as well.
*The Katrina Collins family, of Dewitt Gooden Drive in Elizabethtown, suffered damage to their roof and lost their furniture, according to Rev. Graham. They, too, received furniture.
Rev. Graham, said Randolph Keaton, who is the Executive Director of the Men and Women United for Youth and Families, was seeking ways to assist individuals following the storm.
“We started a food pantry and distribution center at a our location in Delco and we were designated as a disaster recovery site,” said Rev. Graham.
He said following the storm, the group was giving people food and other necessary supplies and the conversation turned to how they could help people in the long-term.
“We developed a case management team and we field clients. People come to us and we go sit down with them and do the case management for them,” Rev. Graham.
He stated the case managers would assist individuals with completing forms and other paperwork required for the various disaster relief programs. Rev. Graham said the disaster relief case workers made sure the individuals were aware of what they potentially qualified to receive and guided them through the process of applying and meeting the deadlines.
He said, out of that, the group identified four families who could use assistance with replacing furniture they lost in the storm. Rev. Graham said the families selected have also met the criteria set forth by Designing Station to receive the furniture.
Rev. Graham said from those activities, Men and Women United for Youth and Families decided to partner with Designing Station of Fayetteville to help people who have lost everything to furnish their homes.
Cheri Smith, who is the Executive Director of Designing Station, said the company received a donation of furniture from Rooms to Go to help with the disaster recovery.
Designing Station is a furniture bank located on McDuffie Street in Fayetteville.
“What we do is we assist families who are transitioning from homes with domestic violence, crisis, or hurricane damage. We fill their house with furniture,” said Smith
She said one of the main things the business is focusing on over the past few years is the recovery of those who are coming back home following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Matthew as well as Hurricane Florence.
Smith said all of the clients they assist are referred to them through other agencies. Normally, Bladen County is not in their service area; however, following the devastation from Hurricane Florence they chose to assist these families.
Smith was assisted in making the delivery by Darrell Jackson-White who is the Inventory Specialist, and Gary Mitchell, who is a Warehouse Worker, with Designing Station.
Smith said Designing Station will also accept donations. To learn more about Designing Station or to make a donation go to www.designingstation.org.
About Author
