About

The Catastrophic Relief Alliance (CRA) has been in existence since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. Trustee Tony Kriesel donated funds so that F&M students could aid Mississippi residents that had experienced the devastating winds of Katrina. In the subsequent decades, CRA continued to travel all around the Gulf, rebuilding homes in Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama. CRA went westward to Oklahoma to re-roof a home affected by a class 4 tornado, and drove to Staten Island to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy blew through the northeast.

Starting in 2009, CRA began to work in Lancaster City, assisting our friends at South Ann Concerned Neighbors by painting, landscaping, and removing debris from homes. And for the last dozen years, CRA has served as the go-to painters for Milagro House, a wonderful organization in town that provides housing and support services for women and their children who would otherwise be experiencing homelessness. In the coming years, we are looking forward to continued work with Impact Missions, rehabbing Lancaster City homes for first-time homebuyers.

Rentaworker is a new venture that started in 2018, where members do odd jobs for F&M faculty and staff, for a reasonable price. Monies raised go towards member trip fees for our disaster relief trips. Rentaworker also affords us an opportunity to engage with our F&M College community in an unique way, and spread awareness about our various CRA efforts.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt