Damage caused by Hurricane Ian in southwest Florida.
“Working class people will often say they don’t need help when in fact they do.” – MANNY FLAUD, JR., MDS STORM AID LEADER
One family worked for a decade to remodel their home. “They were almost finished when Hurricane Ian destroyed it,” said Stoner. “We hope to build a new house for this family.” In the first two months after Hurricane Ian struck, MDS Early Response Teams worked in southwest Florida, removing large trees, hauling away debris, and helping Hurricane Ian survivors make the first small steps on their path to recovery. Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 26, devastated parts of southwest Florida, killing at least 92 people in that state alone. After assessing damages and working with local partner organizations as well as emergency managers, MDS set up a base camp for volunteers at the Pine Creek Chapel Mennonite Church in Arcadia, located about an hour east of Sarasota. Manny Flaud, Jr., who provides leadership to Storm Aid, an Amish disaster recovery group of MDS, worked with local community leaders. They assessed damages so MDS could focus on households needing the most help. When people see news footage of southwest Florida, the
devastation is obvious and the needs look immense. The challenge, Flaud explained, is finding which hurricane survivors really need help the most. During early response, MDS relies on community leaders to direct them to meaningful work, while during long-term recovery, a partner organization will provide case management. “Working class people will often say they don’t need help when in fact they do,” said Flaud. “Some clients have a little money—but no one to do the work, or they receive enough money from FEMA to pay for materials but can’t afford labor.” Flaud has helped guide many MDS responses over the years. “It’s what God gave me. That’s what keeps us coming back—it’s what God gave us,” he said. Clearing the way “I can’t believe MDS is here,” said Richard Peters, standing on his small farm with his wife, Dixie, as volunteers cleared at least 25 large trees from the driveway. Dixie has health issues that cause her to fall a lot. Large emergency vehicles can’t get around the downed trees in the driveway, and last time she fell, Richard drove her to the hospital, maneuvering
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behind the hammer
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