Dear Members, Partners and Friends,
We continue to work together as Maryland VOAD to help residents in Prince George's County recover from the flooding that occurred on September 10, 2020. Listed below is a summary of our work and immediate critical needs we have. (Pease read to the end of the page.)
Update on our work
- Ellen Udovich, Baptist Convention of MD & DE, has been coordinating our muck out, debris removal and mold/mildew remediation. Team Rubicon and Latter Day Saints have also provided volunteer work crews. To date, 26 homes have had this work done and completed.
- Maryland VOAD Board of Directors hired Kimberly Hopkins as Rebuild Coordinator to manage the this portion of the response. Kim was the Construction Manager for the Somerset County LTRC, Program Manager for the Somerset County Elevation Project that lifted 10 homes out of the floodplain and most recently has lead long term recovery efforts in the US Virgin Islands and northern panhandle of Florida.
Rebuilding work to be done and estimated costs
- Three (3) homes need furnaces replaced (it could be more)—installed average cost per furnace-- $6,000
- Four (4) homes need water heaters replaced (it could be more)—installed average cost per unit-- $600
- At present 12 homes need interior walls repaired. Material needs will be drywall, tape, drywall mud, sandpaper, tools, insulation--$3,000
Estimates of other costs include:
- Flooring-- $12,000
- Base molding and trim $3,000
- Interior doors--$3,400; Exterior Doors--$2,000
- Repair retaining walls--$4,500
- Cabinetry--$4,100
- Total Estimated Costs: $52, 400
Critical Requests of our Members and Partners
- Funding to purchase materials listed above
- Volunteers and/or Work crews who can hang, tape and finish drywall
- Volunteers and/or Work crews with masonry skills
- Volunteers and/or Work crews with general carpentry skills
- Licensed HVAC technicians
- Licensed plumbers
- Licensed electricians
How to Volunteer
Volunteers and Work Groups can sign up by contacting Kim Hopkins (kimberly.hopkins@yahoo.com; (340) 643-7516) or go to the DART website and sign up under Individual Registration by clicking "Volunteer". During the registration process you will have the option to also register as a Group: https://dart-md.communityos.org/
Ways to Provide Funding
From our Chairperson
The Prince George's County September Flooding event is a type of disaster we have seen more and more. A large amount of rain falls within a short period of time, in a narrowly defined geographic region, and causes significant damage within that small area. It is not big enough to receive a federal declaration, but it has severe damage like a larger event.
How do we get our neighbors to recovery? Simple--it is up to us, the Members and Partners of Maryland VOAD. It is up to us to step forward, find the money and provide the human resources necessary. There is no declaration, so no funding is coming from the Federal government. The State has no funding mechanism to help with Individual Assistance. There is little or no funding coming from our national organizations to which we belong. And yet, our neighbors are hurting.
Our faith and cultural traditions associated with this time of year call us to the care and concern for others. Giving to others, is a fundamental celebration of this holiday season. We need to be creative and think outside the box for how we can care and support our neighbors-those for whom Maryland VOAD was create to sustain and support when disasters strike.
There is a critical need for funding to restore damaged homes and damaged lives. Right now as I write this to you we have families with young children who have no heat in their homes because the flooding destroyed their furnace. We have elderly residents living in their homes with missing drywall and insulation. Their insurance won't cover the damages--they don't insure floods. We are their lifeline. We are their safety net.
As you celebrate this holiday season, please take a few minutes to consider how you and your local disaster organization might secure funding for this project. Be creative--think about ways to generate funds through your circle of relationships and other organizations you belong to.
Thank you for your efforts and partnership in Maryland VOAD.
Blessings to you all,
