Hurricane Evacuation Center Capital Campaign
The Opportunity Before Us
Evergreen Life Services proudly offers a variety of services in our home state of Louisiana. Our state is rich in history, beauty and has a climate second to none. With the good we also have the bad and when mother nature hits our area with hurricane forces the effects can be devastating. In the last three years alone ELS has had to evacuate almost 200 individuals during storms.
Evergreen encountered the worst hurricane in the history of Louisiana and the fifth worst in the history of the country in 2020. The future holds more of the same as temperature increases portend more frequent and more severe storms in the immediate and long-term future.
Severe storms necessitate the evacuation of individuals that Evergreen serves. These evacuations come at great expense to Evergreen, of course, but there is also and most importantly real and substantive impact to the psyches of those affected by these disruptions.
Such impacts are incalculable, and Evergreen desires to have an evacuation center that not only attends to the evacuee’s physical safety but also to their mental well-being, providing a loving and caring oasis amidst the chaos and uncertainty. By supporting this center, you help ensure the safety, well-being, and protection of vulnerable individuals who may require specialized care and support.
An evacuation center would enable Evergreen to house and care for the individuals it serves during the storm (or other form of disaster) and beyond, if repairs are necessary to any Evergreen homes.
After a storms hits we then need to assure that our homes are undamaged and ready for the safe return of the individuals who reside there , depending upon the severity of the storm the return can be in days but during the last two years the average time for our residents to return home was 65 days which was an average cost of almost $373,000! That is $373,000 that is much needed in other areas within Evergreen.
The most recent estimate is that Woodland Church facility as it sits could accommodate at most 70 individuals Evergreen serves. Evergreen staff could stay on a to-be-finished second floor. As far as individuals served, the highest area of need is within those that have the highest medical needs. The average number of individuals affected by the last two hurricanes was 185.
So we come to you for help.
Funding Requested
There are many possibilities to support this incredibly worthwhile project. All donations will be applied toward facility renovation costs at 1.2 million dollars.
All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law and as directed by the Internal Revenue Service for organizations with nonprofit 501c-3 status.
By creating a new state-of-the-art facility it will further increase the number of people Evergreen can safely evacuate in Louisiana.
Evaluation Plan and Expected Outcomes
The evaluation plan and the expected outcome for program results will not be realized until after the building renovation is completed.
Evergreen will collect census data for each attendee’s security. The data will be used to help secure safety procedures for the evacuation process with each event.
Evergreen Life Services Evacuation Center
