As I’m sure you’ve seen from news reports, Hurricane Isaac caused major flooding and other issues for Louisiana and Mississippi. In  response, ShelterBox Response Team members Alan Monroe  and John and Trannie Lacquey are headed to the Gulf Coast. Once there, they will be assisted by ShelterBox USA Ambassador  Ken Thompson, of Slidell, LA, who I’m happy to report is doing fine after the storm. Like all deployments, this one will begin with assessment to determine the most impacted areas and if there is need for the ShelterBox solution. The  team will be traveling to the impacted areas with some of our kit in case they identify immediate need. Many thanks to the team for their efforts.

One fun fact I’ll note: Not only is the team being deployed to the Gulf Coast an all-American, all-Rotarian team, but we currently have three active deployments being led by American SRT Rotarians. Another great example of “service above self.”

And speaking of service…I cannot stress enough how important your role as Ambassadors is to ShelterBox and our ability to successfully deliver on our mission. Thank you. ShelterBox is deployed in the Philippines, Haiti, Niger and now America. And mainly for disasters that won’t make your evening news.

We need your continued help.  Please continue to make presentations and visit schools, local businesses, faith organizations, and civic groups and talk us up to your family and friends. Seek out media for coverage of ShelterBox in your community.  Because our ability to prepare supplies in advance of disaster is made possible by the effort you put into your representation of ShelterBox.

It has been approximately 18 months since a large-scale, “newsworthy” disaster has captivated American donors. Since then, we have served vulnerable families on 34 deployments! That’s right. Thirty-four!

You are the engine that keeps ShelterBox going and prepared to serve in between those mega-disasters. I had the pleasure of serving on a response team that responded to flooding in Peru a few months ago – again, a lesser known disaster. But I can tell you from first-hand experience that the devastation felt by the families in Peru we served was just as real as it would be to families impacted by a well-publicized disaster. Nobody else was there to help them besides ShelterBox. We could only be there to help them because volunteers like you ensured we had the resources needed to respond. Thank you.

Keep up your good work and please know how appreciative we are of your service.

Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to call on the ShelterBox USA team.

Regards,

Emily

 

For Twitter
@ShelterBoxUS team is heading to the Gulf Coast in response to Hurricane #Isaac. Assessing need for tented shelter &  @ShelterBox supplies.

 

Learn about @ShelterBoxUS post #Isaac deployment to Haiti where an estimated 300k people still live in tented shelter  http://bit.ly/NC316M

 

Extreme flooding and Malian refugee crisis leads to @ShelterBox deployment to Niger (via @ShelterBoxUS) http://bit.ly/NC3Psq
As @ShelterBox completed work in #Philippines ow.ly/dnek7 a quake struck off its coast today (via @ShelterBoxUS)

 

“I am so happy to bring my children here to stay in my @ShelterBox tent.”- Myrna, survivor of flooding in Philippines http://bit.ly/NC4olX

 

For Facebook (Please remember to tag @ShelterBoxUSA in  your post)
A ShelterBoxUSA response team is heading to the Gulf Coast to assess damage caused by Hurricane Isaac. Priority is on identifying the most impacted areas and vulnerable families. Updates will be posted at www.facebook.com/shelterboxusa and on Twitter @shelterboxus

 

Just as ShelterBox completed distribution of aid to families affected by flooding in the Philippines (http://shelterboxusa.org/news_global.php?id=1019), a 7.9 magnitude quake hit its Eastern Visayas region. The damage is being assessed.

 

Niger is having the worst floods in 100 years. A ShelterBox Response Team, including my fellow American volunteer Mike Freeman, is in the West African country assessing the need for emergency shelter. Read more: http://shelterboxusa.org/news_global.php?id=1017