“I thought we were going to die!” John and Sareathea Burford of Nashville, Tennessee, shared their harrowing experience with the Hope Force team members who gave the couple their undivided attention. The Burfords were sound asleep when they received a call from Linda, a neighbor two doors away, stating that the area was flooding…again. At 5:30 in the morning, it was still dark. When John and Sareathea looked out their window, they were astonished to see the dark, swirling torrents of waters rushing by their window. Instantly, the lower portion of their home was flooded. Soon, the entire home was engulfed and they were up to their knees in water in their own living room.
Super Storm Sandy – HFI’s ongoing recovery efforts
Hope Force International was among the very first disaster response organizations to engage in the relief and recovery efforts in Atlantic City following what is now known as Super Storm Sandy. For several months, Hope Force Reservists from across the country tirelessly worked to assist survivors who were overwhelmed by the task of flood remediation. In January 2013, a select team of staff and Reservists returned to Atlantic City in an effort to empower local leaders and residents as they struggled to mount an effective recovery effort, and established the Atlantic City Long Term Recovery Center.
Haiti: three years and eight months later…
Hope is on the rise! The rural area of greater Sous Savanne, Haiti, is located in the epicenter of the tragic 2010 earthquake where over 230,000 people lost their lives. An already impoverished people could scarcely take in the devastation within their country, and they struggled to glimpse even the faintest notion of hope. Now, three years and eight months later, hope is astir as normalcy takes root -- one house, one meal…one child in school at a time. The Houses of Hope project is marching forward with lasting outcomes in Sous Savanne and neighboring Babay. In addition, the HFI Child Sponsorship Program is adapting to the most pressing needs of the children and their families.
