Donations, volunteers still needed for flood relief

There are still plenty of opportunities for people in the Tri-City area to help flood victims in Baton Rouge and Lafayette who lost everything.
Sara Broussard of Morgan City started the “Furnishing The UnBRoken” Facebook group Tuesday to collect donations of items for people whose homes were destroyed in the floods. The capitalized BR refers to the viral hashtag that started after the flood.
Items can be dropped off at Elite Graphics, 7843 La. 182 in Morgan City. Donated supplies will be sent directly to the people who need supplies wherever that may be, Broussard said.
Sofas, recliners and construction materials are also being collected at Locked-Up Storage, 209 U.S. 90 West in Patterson, next to Billy’s Structures, owner Billy Badeaux said. People can call Badeaux’s office at 985-399-3991 to donate supplies. Badeaux is in the process of setting up a non-profit organization to accept monetary donations.
A large contingent of volunteers from St. Mary Parish with “The Cajun Army” have gone to the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas to clean up houses of flood-ruined items.
The Cajun Army Facebook group, which has over 5,200 members, grew out of an effort started when Chris King of Prairieville had some employees who needed to be rescued from flood waters in Denham Springs. Brothers Nicholas Loupe and Joshua Loupe, both of Morgan City, joined King and took an 11-hour boat ride to rescue people, Nicholas Loupe said.
Organizers formed the Facebook group about two weeks ago after that rescue trip to have a place for flood survivors to post needs and for people who want to volunteer to go help those in need, Loupe said.
“It’s been overwhelmingly incredible to see what the communities have come together to do,” Loupe said.
Anyone interested in volunteering or wanting to donate supplies can get involved by visiting The Cajun Army’s website at thecajunarmy.com. People can register to volunteer to cook, gut houses, offer host homes for volunteers and those affected by the flood can post their needs.
Ginger Rodriguez of Ginger’s Bakery in Morgan City has helped a lot with providing food to those who need it, Loupe said. The Central Catholic football team also helped by clearing out 14 flood-damaged homes Saturday and the experience was “life-changing for them” seeing the devastating damage, Badeaux said.
Badeaux has been helping elderly and disabled people and veterans clean their homes and is trying to get insulation installed before winter, he said. Badeaux is both a contractor and licensed home inspector and has been trying to make sure people follow proper cleanup procedures.
Badeaux encouraged more people to volunteer to clean, pack supplies or do whatever they can to assist, he said.
The recent flooding in the Baton Rouge area is “three times worse” than the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused in New Orleans, Badeaux said.
Coast Guard members with Marine Safety Unit Morgan City also recently visited the Lafayette area to clean homes.
Volunteers gutting many homes will be required to wear respirators due to mold growth, and The Cajun Army will accept donations of respirators and Tyvek suits, Nicholas Loupe said.
Organizers will continue to collect supplies as long as there’s a need, Broussard said. Some homes got 8 feet of water, which means that everything had to be thrown out, Broussard said. Broussard is asking people to donate items that they no longer need to those who need them.
Broussard said people are sleeping in flood damaged, mold-invested homes on concrete with nothing to lie on. Therefore, air mattresses, pillows, blankets, cots or beds are greatly needed to keep people from having to sleep on the ground, Broussard said.
Volunteers want to get donations of “anything that you would find in a house,” Broussard said. Furniture, non-perishable food, kitchen items, shower curtains, bedroom furnishings, and “anything that we can get our hands on to give the people some hope of getting a little piece of their life back,” she said.
Water and sport drinks are also especially needed as well with the extreme heat outside, Broussard said. People who are interested in helping repair furniture or clean items can also contact Broussard through the Furnishing the UnBRoken Facebook group.