DM12 Louisiana cohort 2

Welcome to the DM12 Louisiana program! This initiative is built on our 15 years of disaster relief experience, enabling us to safely restart volunteer operations in 2020. This is an opportunity to be a part of a dedicated team training, working and living together for 8 weeks to help those affected by Hurricanes Laura and Delta in Louisiana. You will learn more about disaster management and technical training, as well as important topics such as cultural sensitivity, ethical storytelling and humanitarianism.

Our top priority is the health, safety and well-being of people living in the communities we serve, volunteers and staff. Therefore volunteers and staff must be vigilant regarding mask-wearing and complying with COVID 19 safety measure so that we don’t compromise the program and our ability to serve the Louisiana community. Please take the time to read our COVID-19 safety measures and Practical Guide for this program. All Hands and Hearts reserves the right to ask anyone who does not adhere to our COVID-19 safety measures, or any other element of our Code of Conduct, to leave program.

Below you will find all of the information you need to prepare for the program, and feel free to reach out via email to louisianahurricanerelief@allhandsandhearts.org with any questions!

Location: DeQuincy, Louisiana. We will arrange for you to travel to Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH) which is a 45-minute drive by car to base.

Cost: Free!

Stipend: $200 to help offset the cost associated with your required three-day break at the end of Week 4.

Work Days: Monday-Friday

Accommodation: Co-ed communal with army cots/air mattresses

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated.

WiFi: Provided on base but very limited

Access: It is a 5-minute drive to a small grocery store, fast food restaurants, and ATM access. There is a laundromat around the corner from the base.

Contact: louisianahurricanerelief@allhandsandhearts.org

Louisiana has been hit by four storms this year, the two largest of which have caused significant damage. On August 27th, Hurricane Laura pounded the Louisiana and Texas coasts, making landfall near Cameron, Louisiana as a Category 4 storm with 150 m.p.h. winds. Hurricane Laura tied the Last Island Hurricane (1856) for the strongest landfalling hurricane in Louisiana on record.

Just six weeks later, on October 9th, Hurricane Delta made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Creole, Louisiana. It followed a similar path to Hurricane Laura and compounded the damages already left by previous storms, as well as causing a lot more rainfall accumulation, with several places reporting up to 18” within a few hours. Flood emergencies and wind damage were reported across large areas, and many communities have significant damage to their properties.

Dequincy is a small parish located in the Southwest area of Louisiana about two hours from Houston, Texas, and 4 hours from New Orleans. You will find several small stores, fast food restaurants, ATM’s just a 5-minute drive from our base, and a laundromat within walking distance. Larger grocery stores are about a 45-minute drive from the base.

For information about local COVID-19 regulations, and the preventative measures we are taking to protect volunteers, and the community we are working in please take a look at our practical guide.

In Dequincy, the summer months are hot and humid! The average daytime temperatures between the months of May-July are between 70°F to 90°F, while night. temperatures range from 60°F -70°F. We recommend that you check the weather forecast before you join so you can pack accordingly.

For the most up-to-date information in Dequincy and surrounding areas, please check out the Louisiana Department of Health COVID website.