A natural hazard, like a drought, flood, tornado or a hurricane, becomes a natural disaster when it negatively impacts society and infrastructure. Although we can’t prevent natural hazards, we can take actions that lessen their impact. The government contributes with better forecasts and warnings, and with large-scale mitigation projects aimed at community safety and resilience. It has limited programs to assist individuals. It relies on insurance and non-profits to do this.
Many of those most heavily impacted by natural disasters already live in poverty, or at least, live a paycheck-to-paycheck existence. Another community heavily impacted by natural disasters is the family farm. Although the US Department of Agriculture offers low-interest loans to assist agricultural producers in peril, many small farms do not have the means to repay these. Non-profits help these populations survive the storm and thrive thereafter. The emergency food and shelter provided by The Red Cross probably comes to mind. Far more non-profit agencies assist in disaster relief, in a multitude of ways, in rural and urban environments.
Success Stories
Of the numerous families affected when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005, those who accessed non-profit services geared toward long-term recovery fared best. The family of Cierra, featured in the book, “Children of Katrina,” worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a new home for themselves post-hurricane in Lafayette. The family previously lived in an apartment, so home ownership vastly improved their living situation. Cierra, 11 years old when Katrina occurred, experienced a better outcome than some other children because her mother located the resources for aid and because of advocates, such as pastors and disaster shelter workers, who helped the family. While other children from similar circumstances who Hurricane Katrina also impacted struggled to finish high school, Cierra did so with high grades that earned her admittance to multiple colleges. Outside of the urban setting, the American Red Cross partnered with the rural community of Pearlington, MS to rebuild the town which had been wiped out except for its grammar school, gas station and grocery store. Amid a landscape dotted with Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers used for temporary housing, Pearlington residents planned their new homes, one year after Katrina’s damage.
Lack of Resources
It works the other way, too. Communities and individuals lacking in access to post-disaster non-profit services failed to thrive after impact. The community of Staten Island, NY, struggled as a whole and as individuals after 2012’s Superstorm Sandy hit its shores. The close-knit, self-sufficient community had no experience with disasters of Sandy’s magnitude. Between it and Queens, two of New York City’s five boroughs, 159 people lost their lives in the storm. Local non-profits did not specialize in disaster recovery and were unwilling to take it on as a special project. Without this supplementary aid, residents relied on the state and federal government for assistance after having exhausted their own savings. Conservative estimates predict restoration will take five to seven years after impact. The state and federal governments instituted a program to purchase, then demolish some affected homes, replacing that part of the community with a park. For Jodi Hannula, the storm damage destroyed her home and decimated her family’s savings. They spent $40,000 of their own money to rebuild. She and her husband both work. Her son had to drop out of college. A year after Sandy, she still picked up donated groceries for her family at a local food pantry.
Prepared Non-Profits Make the Difference
In each community whether rural MS or urban LA and NY floods destroyed homes and businesses, and people lost their lives. Non-profits specializing in disaster recovery made the difference in the speed and quality of recovery. In LA and MS, such resources already existed. In Staten Island, a smattering of relief organizations, such as Guyon Rescue, sprang up well into the aftermath of the storm. Their existence helps now, but was needed from impact. In both communities, preparation made the difference. The examples of Cierra and Jodi show the need for non profits in disaster relief settings.
You can prepare your farm for the inevitable. Weather events happen. Tornadoes touch down in the Midwest. Floods occur in every state. Droughts hit every state, too. You can prepare ahead. Identify local, state and regional non-profits that assist with these types of losses. If you don’t find one, partner with other agricultural producers to form one. Analyze your insurance to ensure you’re covered for crop losses, including feed hay. Create a formal emergency plan for your farm, if you haven’t already. By identifying the assistance options available before disaster strikes, you can better the chances of your farm’s survival. Contact us to learn more about emergency planning and business continuity planning for your farm.
