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August 31, 2021United Way of Southwest Louisiana and the City of Lake Charles announce two community challenges to benefit Terrebonne Parish following Hurricane Ida. The $50K Ida Challenge encourages 50 individuals, businesses or organizations to each give $1,000 toward a gift to United Way of South Louisiana. Mayor Nic Hunter has pledged to be the first of 50. A cleaning supply drive will take place from Wednesday, September 1 through the 10. Volunteers are being sought for the supply drive.
Following Hurricane Laura, United Way of South Louisiana immediately supported the Hurricane Laura Disaster Relief Fund with a gift of $50,000. Our community is now asked to assist them by making a matching gift to their Hurricane Ida Disaster Relief Fund. United Way of South Louisiana serves Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes. To donate, text IDACHALLENGE to 40403 or visit unitedwayswla.org/Ida. Donors will be contacted following gift to schedule PR.
“The compassion shown to our community by this particular United Way following our disaster touched me deeply,” says Nic Hunter, mayor of Lake Charles. “This is what we teach our children every day. Treat others how you want to be treated so I challenge our business leaders and neighbors to step up and repay that act of kindness. I have no doubt it will happen.”
A Hurricane Ida Supply Drive begins Wednesday, September 1 through Friday, September 10. The community is being challenged to donate new, unused cleaning supplies, lawncare items or bottled water. Items will be dropped off in a drive-through donation center set up at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The drive-through in front of the Civic Center will be open on weekdays beginning September 1 from 9 am until 5 pm and on Saturday, September 4 from 8 am until noon.
“We are working closely with United Way of South Louisiana because we know from experience what it takes to move the community forward through each stage of disaster response and recovery,” explains Denise Durel, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Louisiana. “They have two of the worst hit parishes to support following Hurricane Ida so we didn’t think twice about stepping up. They were there for us and we relish the opportunity to pay it back although we wish it didn’t happen.”
United Way of Southwest Louisiana is organizing volunteers to run the supply drive at the Lake Charles Civic Center over the next week as well as clean-up opportunities and feeding days in the near future. Volunteers interested in unloading vehicles and material management inside the exhibition hall can register by texting VOLUNTEERSWLA to 41444 or online at unitedwayswla.org/volunteer-ida.
A suggested list of items is being emailed out in the United Way of Southwest Louisiana newsletter and can be found online at unitedwayswla.org/supplydrive. No clothing, bedding or food items will be accepted. New and unused brooms, mops, buckets, shovels, rakes and other cleaning tools for households and lawncare are suggested along with cleaning supplies such as bleach, 409 and other chemicals. Heavy duty gloves, gas cans, generators, chain saws, heavy duty trash bags and outdoor cleaning materials are also suggested. Bottled water will be the only non-perishable item accepted at this time.
To donate materials, businesses and community members are encouraged to drive through the front of the Lake Charles Civic Center awning and a United Way of Southwest Louisiana volunteer or team member will unload the items from the vehicles in a no contact fashion. Supplies will be taken to a Hurricane Relief center run by United Way of South Louisiana after September 10.
For more information see the United Way of Southwest Louisiana website at unitedwayswla.org or social media pages. To sign up for the newsletter and ensure full details of Hurricane Ida response see unitedwayswla.org/newsletter.
Schedule for Hurricane Ida Supply Drive at the Lake Charles Civic Center:
Wednesday, September 1: 9 am to 5 pm
Thursday, September 2: 9 am to 5 pm
Friday, September 3: 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday, September 4: 8 am to 12 pm
Sunday, September 5: CLOSED
Monday, September 6: 9 am to 5 pm
Tuesday, September 7: 9 am to 5 pm
Wednesday, September 8: 9 am to 5 pm
Thursday, September 9: 9 am to 5 pm
Friday, September 10: 9 am to 5 pm