Wilmington Response (Robeson)

Wilmington Response collaborates with other Crisis Response teams such as Robeson County Disaster Recovery Commitee, Church and Community, United Way, LRCOG, NC Baptist Men, and Burnt Swamp Association to work together to build effective community outcomes. This network of organizations builds the plan for recovery and also creates a community system of care that supports the achievement of both rural community and area agency goals and outcomes. These community system outcomes are driven by the Crises Response teams and are critically important to achieving our expected community outcome: Readiness, Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding.

Disaster Relief Wilmington Response’s disaster relief assistance is channeled to economically disadvantaged, under served, ethnically diverse, tobacco dependent, rural, southeastern North Carolina county residents with insufficient food, living, tools, household supplies or home damage due to Hurricanes Matthew and Florence and to those with no home or other sources of income to purchase food and other basic needs. It is especially channeled to female, child and elderly headed households without visible means of survival. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and Florence Wilmington Response engaged with over 15 churches in the Burnt Swamp Association and other community organizations in the affected areas to mobilize resources from around the State. In the two months after Florence, between October 2018 and December 2018,Wilmington Response provided emergency relief supplies, building materials, appliances, and other supplies to over 2,400 people. That effort included delivering more than 28 truckloads of supplies to distribution points in Lumberton, Pembroke, Maxton and Lumberton in the initial weeks and months after the storm. Storm survivors received supplies including tents, pillows, sleeping bags, coolers, food kits, pet food, personal hygiene items, women’s toiletry kits, school supplies, toys, socks, clothes, diapers, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and latex gloves. Readiness, Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding Wilmington Response collaborates with other Crisis Response teams such as Robeson County Department of Social Services, NC Baptist Men, and Burnt Swamp Association to work together to build effective community outcomes. This network of organizations builds the plan for recovery and also creates a community system of care that supports the achievement of both rural community and area agency goals and outcomes. These community system outcomes are driven by the Crises Response teams and are critically important to achieving our expected community outcome: Readiness, Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding. Relief Wilmington Response ensures those affected by the disaster have been evacuated or helped from target areas where they are unsafe by assisting First Responders in the evacuation effort. CCF assist those evacuated by cooking and providing hot meals, shelter, and basic information and referral (I&R) Recovery Wilmington Response assist those affected by the disaster in their recovery through provision of essential items and providing that all basic needs have been met. Wilmington Response assist those in returning to normal life by providing referrals to resources needed to sustain life as it was before the disaster. WR assist in finding temporary housing by working closely with county housing authorities and property owners. If those affected are unable to return to their homes Wilmington Response provides access to federal/state resources (as appropriate) and local referral sources. Rebuilding Wilmington Response assists the affected Community and its people by organizing volunteer teams for rebuilding and clean-up efforts. Wilmington Response provides community residents with materials and/or resources available to obtain materials needed to stabilize and rebuild. Readiness Wilmington Response holds quarterly disaster readiness training for Community members and volunteers to increase awareness and ensure the community is ready to respond when the next disaster strikes. Community Comes Firsts’ disaster readiness is monitored on an ongoing basis and mock crisis response drills and CPR training, are conducted, maintained, and evaluated. Wilmington Responses’ crisis response committee and subcommittees meet bi-yearly to prepare for future disasters.