Coast Guard Foundation continues assistance to families shocked by Hurricane Ida
Hurricane Ida made landfall and wrought devastation from Louisiana to New England, Coast Guard families continue to dig out, clean up, and rebuild. During this period the Coast Guard Foundation has worked with our partner organization, the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association, to rush emergency aid to those Coast Guard members in need.
The Foundation is processing roughly 250 applications for more than $537,000 in emergency assistance for Coast Guard members whose homes and property were destroyed by the hurricane.
Accompanying those requests for assistance are heartbreaking stories of loss.
“My home has bad water leaks and upon my return the entirety of my apartment reeked of mold and was unfit to live in for two weeks. Due to lack of power the temperature rose significantly and caused more mold to grow which required attention that I could not give due to active duty status.”
“Everything within the house is covered in mold. The water damage to the second floor was so bad that it was raining into the first floor. I have lost everything in my house.”
“The expenses of being displaced are starting to pile up. I’ve never asked for assistance while I was active duty. But I sure need it now. Thanks for any consideration.”
We know that helping these Coast Guard members get back on their feet is important for their families, but it is also important to the communities in which they live and those they serve. That is why we have provided more than $2.5 million in emergency disaster assistance since 2017.
We could not offer this assistance without our generous donors and corporate partners including Chevron and Lockheed Martin. The gratitude of Foundation grant recipients speaks for itself, such as these notes from Coast Guard members who received grants after last year’s historic hurricane season.
“I just want to thank all those involved in the helping of Coast Guard members in Lake Charles. Our family benefited, but I know that a lot of the Coast Guard families in the area greatly benefited from the help received. To date we are still rebuilding homes and lives, and the continued support helped us to get the mission done.”
“It lifted this huge burden off of our back, and allowed us to go back to work confident and upbeat! We are so very thankful for the grant and everything our Coast Guard family has done for us!”
Pictured: Several homes of Coast Guard members who suffered loss during Hurricane Ida.
