It’s been 245 days since NECHAMA staff and gear left our Minnesota headquarters in a light drizzle – destined for Houston TX. We left hoping to help storm-affected families for 3 or 4 months, to bring them hope and comfort, and marshal the resources of the NECHAMA community to do Tikkun Olam. What we didn’t know then was that our work would take us well beyond the flooded homes of Houston, and bring the organization on an unprecedented journey.
In those 245 days of service, we’ve launched 6 major Projects:
Response Projects
- Houston, TX
- Flagler Beach, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Golden Triangle in TX
Rebuild Projects
- Houston, TX
- Loiza, Puerto Rico.
Never before has NECHAMA run this level of response and rebuild work, managing multiple concurrent projects in response to storms of this magnitude, and expanded our operations beyond the continental United States.
We have shared 245 days of hope, of comfort, of Tikkun Olam. Thanks to our dedicated staff, our financial supporters, and more than 900 volunteers giving more than 28,000 hours of their time, NECHAMA has changed the lives of over 300 storm-affected families. These families, mostly low and lower-income, are less insulated against the economic shock that accompanies disasters, and rarely have any or adequate flood insurance policies, which are more commonly held by higher-income households.
Your support has made 245 days of ongoing operations possible. It has given us the tools and resources needed to put boots on the ground where they are needed most. These resources have allowed us to help those in greatest need, have brought hope and comfort to storm-affected families, and provided hundreds of volunteer opportunities for our community to do Tikkun Olam.
We continue the work 245 days later. Families are still in need. The world continues to be in need of repair. To those of you who have supported NECHAMA financially, I thank you, and welcome you to continue your support. For those who have not yet made a donation, now is the time to step forward and join our efforts to support this critical need. You are the fuel that keeps NECHAMA’s engine running, as we continue to repair the world, performing good acts, helping the stranger, and offering a helping hand in the spirit of goodwill to create mutual respect and understanding among people.
Thank you!
David Kaplan
Executive Director