LAFAYETTE — More than a week after Hurricane Delta, some people in Acadiana who were impacted by the storm are getting the help they need to fix their damaged homes.
Catholic Charities of Acadiana is among the groups helping people recover from the storm.
Since last week, the organization has received more than 700 requests for help. So far, the group has serviced about 250 of those people.
Volunteers are out seven days a week, picking up debris, chopping down trees, and providing and assembling tarps.
They say there's still a lot of work to be done, so more volunteers are still needed, and those interested don't necessarily have to be able to climb on top of a roof or operate a chainsaw in order to help.
"[Volunteers] can give 30 minutes. They can help unpack things that are shipped in from an Amazon Wish List," lists longtime volunteer John Ray Perkins. "They can help serve plates."
On Saturday, however, the group was assisting people on Lafayette's northside with their roofs.
"The wind was real bad," said homeowner Mary Ben. "It knocked some trees down in the back. Thank God I don't have any trees in my yard, but it was bad. My light went off for three days."
Ben lives by herself and uses a walker, making cleanup on her own difficult, which is why she enlisted the help of Catholic Charities.
"Oh, I was happy," said Ben. "I was happy because I ain't had no money to do nothing, and for it to rain, it would have rained all over the house, my furniture and everything."
The happiness and satisfaction of others is what makes the countless hours volunteers put into helping people after the storm worth it.
"I think people in our community love what we're doing," said Jodee Ware, director of Rebuilding Together Acadiana, a group within Catholic Charities. "People are nervous, even people with insurance are having issues. It's hard to get somebody out to look at their house, so we're just trying to get it done quickly. We have great people in this community. We all need to get out and help."
Ben, of course, had a message for the volunteers.
"Thank, y'all, and I appreciate what y'all are doing for me," said Ben.
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer or you need help yourself, call 211 or visit catholiccharitiesacadiana.org.
