Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the SU Ag Center has stepped forward to find ways
to help the people impacted the most by the tragedy. Recognizing the importance of having an
immediate, yet, long-term strategy and plan, Ag Center administrators, faculty, and staff
engaged themselves into meetings to strategize and develop an official plan of action. In
addition to volunteering at the shelters, donating money, food, clothing and other necessities,
the SU Ag Center vowed to utilize the expertise of the Ag Center faculty and staff for
community assistance efforts.
Ag Center Extension Agents have been hard at work assisting the youth that
are located in the shelters. EBR Parish Agent Karen Stevens has been visiting numerous
shelters in the Baton Rouge area, providing educational and entertaining activities pertaining
to topics such as stress, food and nutrition. Family and Consumer Science Educator, Carol Ann
Atkins also makes weekend visits to the River Center, incorporating interactive activities
for children 3-5 years of age.
According to Dr. Gina Eubanks, Vice Chancellor of Extension, most of the victims are low
income African Americans, many of which have an annual income below $7,000, for this reason
the Ag Center plans to step in providing assistance in any way necessary. Vice Chancellor of
Administration, Dr. Adell Brown, emphasized that we must engage the Southwest Center for
Rural Initiatives, one of the Ag Center's newest initiatives, in the designed plan of
action. "This is what the Southwest Center is all about, helping the people at or below the
poverty line," said Brown.
After several meetings to develop the hurricane disaster action plan, the
following areas were identified as key areas to provide assistance:
- Family Assistance - The Ag Center will help displaced families and individuals navigate
through the governmental infrastructure to find solutions to their needs/problems in order to
locate missing family members or relocate to other areas of the state.
- Family Survival- The Ag Center will continue to assist families and individuals with
immediate needs such as food, clothing, connecting with family members, etc. The Ag Center
will also develop curriculums for after school programs for the affected youth.
- Community Infrastructural Renewal/Environmental Assessments and Community
Restoration - The Ag Center will assist local leaders to plan and implement
strategies for expanded population growth (especially in the rural communities and towns)
due to families relocating to the areas. The urban forestry program is assisting in this
area by utilizing the facilities and expertise to assist the community in evaluating the
damage to their properties. This will ultimately assist with efforts to rebuild cities,
as well as, restoring the city's urban ecosystem.
- Community Resource Development/ Economic Development - In an effort to
impact community and economic development, the Ag Center will assist with technical and soft
skill training for jobs.
- Human Dynamics - The Ag Center plans to develop and implement a
research based study that will investigate the long term impact of the hurricane on
individuals, family and communities.
More specifically, the SU Ag Center has conducted the following to assist
with Ag Center relief efforts:
1) Contacted FEMA or other governmental agencies that
provide training for a minimum of one hundred individuals inclusive of extension agents and
community volunteers.
2) Coordinate the training for extension staff and community
volunteers to assist evacuees in navigating through federal and state governmental
infrastructure to find solution to their needs and problems.
3) Assemble state and local
teams to work with evacuees in shelters and local homes. Additionally, the Ag Center has
appointed a disaster coordinator for the Center and plans are underway to establish an
emergency 1-800 Hotline to assist the teams and the evacuees.
"The Ag Center recognizes the severity of this disaster and stands ready to
do whatever it can to help the citizens of LA that have been affected," said Chancellor
Williams. "All of the initiatives that the Ag Center is embarking upon to assist the
victims of this disaster, directly relates to and supports our mission and vision," says
Katara Williams, Public Relations Specialist.
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