July 30, 2009

On July 15, a hulking barge floating FEMA materials upriver brought more than building supplies to the tiny village of Tanana, Alaska. It brought hope—hope to 23 needy families left homeless here by last spring's destructive floods. On the shore, a team of volunteers from CRWRC-Disaster Response Services (CRWRC-DRS) was ready for those materials—ready to rebuild homes . . . and lives.

"These are subsistence level folks who live off the land. That's why it is so critical to help them. Their homes were destroyed, and they have already focused a lot of time on clean up. They need the summer to hunt, fish, and cut firewood," notes Jay De Boer, regional manager for CRWRC-DRS.

CRWRC-DRS staff and volunteers prepared the 23 homes for reconstruction before the barge arrived. Some of the homes had to be leveled as their post-and-pillar foundations lacked the stability of a concrete foundation. CRWRC-DRS Tanana construction coordinator, Arnie Gustafson, is rallying the waves of volunteers as they install sheetrock, electrical, and complete finish details in all 23 homes. Volunteer teams will rotate out every two weeks under the leadership of site manager Mike Tigchelaar: His goal is to have the homes completed by the end of September – before wintry weather blows in.

CRWRC-DRS has "adopted" Tanana and is making repairs with supplies provided by FEMA and other agencies. DeBoer is collaborating with other faith-based organizations in the area, including Menonnite Disaster Service, which has adopted the village of Eagle, Alaska, with financial help and resources from Samaritan's Purse. Other organizations assisting in the response include United Methodist, Mennonite, Lutheran, and Catholic relief agencies, to name a few,

"There is a great spirit of cooperation between faith-based volunteers, FEMA, and the state. It's a great experience seeing that cooperation. Everyone recognizes the urgency; there is no competition. That was what struck me the most – everyone working together to get people back on their feet," he says.

In addition to providing building materials and transportation for them, partnership with FEMA in Tanana means skilled CRWRC-DRS volunteers who commit two weeks of their time to the project have their travel costs covered. The village is housing the volunteers and meals are being arranged locally.

Members of the press wishing to arrange interviews about CRWRC's flood response in Tanana, contact CRWRC-DRS director Bill Adams at cell 616-560-2782. CRWRC-DRS regional manager including Alaska, Jay DeBoer, is available at 253-209-5186. Beth DeGraff, CRWRC media contact is available at cell 616-648-7821.

For more information about CRWRC-DRS, international community development, and justice education, go to http://www.cwrc.org/ or call 1-800-55-CRWRC.

A Christian, non-profit organization of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, CRWRC has ministered in development, relief, and justice education with people in need in 30 countries around the world since 1963. CRWRC-DRS provides needs assessment, clean up and rebuilding to disaster impacted communities throughout North America.

CRWRC is a registered non-profit agency of the CRC-NA in both the U.S. and Canada.