TEXAS – As thousands of evacuees displaced by Hurricane Katrina filled relocation centers and found shelter elsewhere in the state, a unique force with offices in every county rallied to assist.
Providing food – even straight from the field – and other immediate needs for victims of this natural disaster was a priority for employees and volunteers from Texas Cooperative Extension and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, officials said
In Amarillo, that meant fresh vegetables. Hundreds of pounds of cantaloupes, tomatoes and corn from field trial plots at the Texas A&M System Research and Extension Center were harvested by employees and used in meals served to evacuees, said Dr. John Sweeten, Experiment Station director at the facility.
“We felt it was the best use of this produce at this time,” Sweeten said. “What other agency in town could have brought in fresh vegetables in a moment’s notice?”
The Experiment Station, with 13 facilities across Texas, has been conducting research to help farmers grow fruits and vegetables since 1888.
“Providing food and other basic needs is something we are well equipped to handle, so our employees were able to quickly assist in a number of ways throughout the state,” said Dr. Elsa Murano, Texas A&M University System vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences. “For many of the evacuees the needs are still immediate. And we will continue helping as our new neighbors get farther down the road toward a normal life again.”
The agencies were able to respond quickly because Extension has employees and volunteer programs in every county and Experiment Station has research plots in every region of the state, she noted.
In urban counties where thousands of evacuees were driven for shelter, Extension employees and volunteers assembled health kits containing personal hygiene items. More than 1,000 kits were assembled and distributed in Bexar, Andrews, Angelina, Travis and El Paso counties.
“We distributed more than 400 kits to evacuee centers at Kelly USA and Windsor Park Mall in San Antonio,” said Rita Avendano of Extension’s Better Living for Texans program for Bexar County. “Extension employees and program volunteers also provided assistance with data entry and missing person location.”
In Harris County, Extension faculty developed a resource kit to help families rebuild their lives. The kit includes information on food safety, nutrition and household budgeting. A worksheet and checklist for recording important information – such as credit card and bank account numbers – was also included. These kits will be distributed through agencies already assisting families with relocation.
Dr. Ed Smith, Extension director, said evacuees may also benefit from the agency’s free programs that teach life skills, basic money management, and health and nutrition.
“These programs can help people transition into new locations as they start thinking more about managing a new household and budgeting financial resources,” Smith said, adding local Extension offices can provide free information or programs on these topics.
Extension’s youth program, 4-H, also played a key role in disaster relief, said Dr. Martha Couch, associate director of 4-H and youth development.
“In addition to helping displaced individuals, many 4-H clubs are involved in collecting and distributing food, veterinary medicine and supplies for thousands of horses and household pets left homeless due to this catastrophe,” she said. “For example, Extension’s Kendall County 4-H members are working with Lone Star Equine Rescue and several businesses in that county to organize the collection and delivery of veterinary medicine and other supplies to horse relocation centers in Louisiana and Mississippi.”
Grayson County 4-H members also assisted the horse rescue effort by donating halters, lead ropes and a variety of horse first aid supplies.
Couch added that children who have been relocated to Texas may wish to consider joining 4-H in their vicinity.
“It’s an excellent way for young people to make new friends and learn practical life skills,” she said.
As the extent of Hurricane Katrina damage became known, Murano and Smith announced that all employees of the agencies were allowed emergency leave to assist with relief efforts.
Extension information technology specialists from Lubbock and Stephenville headed to Louisiana shortly after the disaster, taking satellite communication equipment, computers and a generator in mobile-office trailer, since communication needs were urgent.
“Were hoping that what’s been done so far is just the beginning,” Murano added. “We’re here to provide information and resources for the long haul and want to do a lot more to help those whose lives have been disrupted by this catastrophe.”
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Additional Hurricane Katrina relief efforts involving Extension, Experiment Station and associated programs throughout Texas include:
– Andrews County: Extension employees worked with Andrews Caring Hands and 4-H clubs to gather baby food, diapers and other items and delivered them to Dallas for distribution to evacuees.
– Angelina County: 4-H clubs handled phones and assisted with the collection and distribution of supplies at the local American Red Cross office. The county 4-H clubs also collected socks and underwear for evacuees, and donated gasoline cards.
– Bexar County: Extension employees, Master Gardener volunteers and 4-H clubs collected food, clothing and bottled water.
– Brazoria County: Extension and the Brazoria County Cattlemen’s Association began a collection of “cattle or cash” for rural agricultural families.
– Glasscock County: School supplies for children relocated to Big Spring were collected by the 4-H clubs.
– Harris County: Austin High School students in Extension’s Community Teen Leaders and Albright Middle School’s Young Leaders in Action each organized a clothing and food drive. Professionals and volunteers with the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University volunteered at the Toyota Center assisting evacuees with career placement and resume development. Extension and Experiment Station communications specialists also assisted with news information services at the Reliant Park evacuation center.
– Harrison County: Extension employees and 4-H clubs cooked and served a lasagna dinner to evacuees at the Marshall Civic Center.
– Jefferson County: The Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Beaumont hired two evacuees to work in their rice varieties development program.
– Midland County: Extension employees helped collect a trailer load of hay and livestock feed for animals in Mississippi. Midland 4-H is making pillow cases for disaster victims.
– Montgomery: Trails End 4-H Club provided health, school supply and bedding kits for evacuees, plus sponsored a Game Night for them.
– Moore County: Double D 4-H club members had a diaper drive for infant evacuees.
– Robertson County: Extension’s 4-H and Camp Cooley Ranch are gathering food, water, clothing and personal hygiene items to fill a 24-foot gooseneck trailer. These supplies will be distributed to displaced families in Bremond, Hearne, Franklin and College Station.
– Travis County: Master Gardener, 4-H and AmeriCorps volunteers assisted with food and clothing distribution for evacuees located in the Austin Convention Center. 4-H also collected items for children, including blankets, stuffed animals, toys, activity and coloring books and crayons.