SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 | 9:35 A.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA - Karlnell held tightly to his son, Kasan, as they sat on their couch and waited for Hurricane Laura to pass. After hours of waiting to see if their house would survive the storm, the two emerged to find their community of Lake Charles without power and water.
“The storm was scary,” says Kasan, “because the wind was pushing real hard and sounded like waves pushing against the house.”
As someone who works in construction, Karlnell soon got word that the storm had temporarily put him out of work. With no power, no water, and his city in disarray, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do.
Fortunately, he heard about the Convoy of Hope distribution taking place near his home. He and Kasan came through our walk-up distribution line each day to pick up snacks and other supplies. Kasan loved the cookies and applesauce; Karlnell was appreciative of the food and the supplies, especially the ice and the tarps. With that little bit of extra support, Karlnell is confident they’ll make it through until his work starts back up.
A little bit of kindness goes a long way, especially after disaster strikes. Thank you for supporting Convoy of Hope as we continue to serve those suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 | 4:25 P.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA - Hurricane Laura’s record-breaking winds and torrential rains are now officially responsible for more than $10.1 billion in damage and 72 deaths. The storm inflicted serious damage to the power and water grids of the communities it passed over.
Convoy of Hope entered our fourth week of responding to Hurricane Laura. In that time, we’ve sent more than 90 loads of product — totalling more than 2 million pounds of food and relief supplies — to the area. With the help of our church, business, and organizational partners in the area, we’ve been able to help tens of thousands of people as they traverse the complicated aftermath of this natural disaster.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 | 5:30 P.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISANA - COVID-19 has brought challenges and changes in the way we all live, work, and play. It’s also brought changes to how Convoy of Hope responds to disasters.
When Hurricane Laura was forming and forecast to be the first significant hurricane of the 2020 season, Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services team was preparing to deploy. But their work actually began months ago as they planned for responses in a COVID-19 world.
“The safety of those we are serving is top priority,” says Jeff Nene, Convoy of Hope’s National Spokesperson. “We want to provide help to meet immediate needs of those impacted by the storm, but we also want to ensure everyone’s health is protected.”
New protocols and procedures have been put in place to keep our staff, volunteers, and those we serve safe. Temperature checks, masks, social distancing, and limiting volunteers are all precautions Convoy of Hope has implemented in order to provide a safe environment for everyone involved.
Convoy of Hope continues to serve thousands of people around the world — even in the midst of the pandemic. We’ve quickly adapted and innovated to continue to serve those in need and provide hope in every storm.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 | 11:30 A.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISANA - Hurricane Laura — the tenth-strongest U.S. hurricane landfall on record — caused the deaths of at least 24 people in the U.S. and inflicted an estimated $8.7 billion in insured damage on southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. There are still more than 250,000 people without power and in some places it still could be several weeks before power is restored. Water is also a major issue with an estimated 70 water systems still down across the state.
Convoy of Hope has established a base of operations in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where we are running daily drive through distributions as well as resourcing surrounding communities that were also impacted, through local partners. Power and water remain completely out in Lake Charles, and it could be weeks before both are restored.
Here is what we’ve been able to accomplish with the help of our partners, volunteers, and donors:
1,369,240 pounds of resources delivered
12,000 families served
37,680 individuals served across the state
191 volunteers
1,025 volunteer hours
12 cities served
SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 | 5:05 P.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISANA - Convoy of Hope has delivered more than 1.1 million pounds of disaster relief supplies in response to Hurricane Laura. With widespread power outages and numerous water systems down, Convoy of Hope is serving storm survivors with basic necessities, such as food, water, ice, and hygiene supplies.
“We have more than 70 tractor-trailer loads of supplies on the ground or en route,” says Stacy Lamb, Convoy of Hope’s U.S. disaster services senior director. “The need is great — people are without food and water, and we’re here to help meet those basic needs. We are distributing relief supplies to families and individuals from a point of distribution, and we’re resourcing multiple partners and churches in surrounding communities.”
The humanitarian organization already has helped nearly 27,000 people with relief supplies. Convoy of Hope will be in the affected area distributing items for weeks to come.
AUGUST 31, 2020 | 4:05 P.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISANA - With more than 350,000 people still without power along the Gulf Coast, gaining access to basic necessities is proving to be more and more difficult for thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Laura. Some reports say it could take weeks — maybe even a month — for power to be restored. That means closed stores and an almost impossible set of circumstances for individuals and families who need food, ice, and hygiene supplies.
Over the weekend, Convoy of Hope distributed relief supplies to more than 1,500 families impacted by Hurricane Laura. Convoy is distributing food, water, cleanup supplies, tarps, ice, baby kits, and hygiene kits through a drive-thru distribution in Lake Charles, Louisiana. We’ve also set up a point of distribution in Monroe, Louisiana, where a drive-thru distribution started yesterday.
On top of widespread power outages, the Louisiana Department of Health estimates that more than 200,000 people are without water. Convoy has already committed more than 20 truckloads of water to the area.
Starting this week, we’ll distribute supplies to partners and churches in the surrounding communities. Convoy of Hope will be serving disaster survivors for several weeks. You can help provide hope and much-needed supplies by donating to our Hurricane Laura response.*
*To donate click on the website link below then on 'Hurricane Laura Response'.
AUGUST 29, 2020 | 2:45 P.M.
LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA - As the death toll has climbed past 14, the people in and around Lake Charles, Louisiana, are feeling the devastating effects of Hurricane Laura. Unfortunately, much of the damage is still unknown, as many areas are still inaccessible.
Convoy of Hope’s distribution of relief supplies started this morning and will continue into the afternoon. Cars were lined up early to receive help, as many are without electricity and water. Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services team is passing out food, water, and cleanup supplies from a point of distribution. Door-to-door distribution is expected to start as soon as affected neighborhoods become accessible.
