Central MN Red Cross Volunteers Feeding People In Hurricane Destruction Zone

(KNSI) – Two Red Cross volunteers from Central Minnesota are in Louisiana helping families devastated by Hurricane Ida. Disaster Action Team members James Carlin from Sauk Rapids and Michael Long from Cokato have delivered hot meals in a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) for nearly a week. He says the region has extensive damage.

Submitted by James Carlin (left) Michael Long (Right)

“And this area has been highly affected by the hurricane. They still don’t have power there. That’s the biggest problem I see around here that people don’t have power.”

He says there’s no air conditioning without power, and temperatures have been in the 90s with 90% humidity. All the power is coming from generators while electric companies work on getting power restored. Carlin and Long have been feeding people in and around New Orleans and most recently in Des Allemands, LA. Carlin says the line has been about a quarter-mile-long to get food at times.

“We’ve spent the last three days feeding people near Houma and served 400 meals a day to people the last three days in a row.”

The Des Allemands community is about 20 miles away from where the hurricane made landfall in Houma. They’ve been serving meals at St. Gertrudes Catholic Church. The church sustained heavy damage from the hurricane and had its roof ripped off. Carlin says they spend the night in Baton Rouge. He drives the ERV back and forth from Baton Rouge to the disaster zone to feed people living in the area. He says while the work is exhausting, it feels good to know you’ve helped somebody at the end of the day.

Carlin and Long left the St. Cloud Red Cross Station in an ERV on August 29th and drove to Houston, Texas, before being deployed to Louisiana. Carlin’s two-week commitment ends on Sunday and he will be flying back to Minnesota. Another Red Cross team will replace Carlin and Long. Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers from across the country are helping people living in the disaster zone.

To help, donate to the Red Cross by clicking here.

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