Wv Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster

WV VOAD IS THE WEST VIRGINIA COUNTERPART TO THE NATIONAL VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER. WV VOAD IS A HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN ALL PHASES OF DISASTER: PREPARATION, RESPONSE, RECOVERY AND MITIGATION. ITS MISSION IS TO IDENTIFY UNMET NEEDS AND FACILITATE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THOSE IMPERILED OR IMPACTED BY DISASTER.

DISASTER RELIEF - THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES AND ORGANIZES SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF A MAJOR DISASTERS. ONE SUCH DISASTER OCCURRED ON JUNE 23, 2016, WHEN MANY WEST VIRGINIA RESIDENTS EXPERIENCED HISTORIC FLOODING ACROSS THE STATE. WV VOAD OPERATED THIS PROGRAM, IN PART, WITH A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PASSED THROUGH THE WEST VIRIGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS, OTHER PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND CORPORATE DONORS. IN 2021, WV VOAD CONTINUED ITS WORK IN PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY; INCLUDING ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY A FEBRUARY ADN MARCH 2021FLOOD EVENT (DR-4605) THAT AFFECTED RESIDENTS OF MINGO, WAYNE, CABELL, AND KANAWHA COUNTIES. FURTHER, WV VOAD RESPONDED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BY DISTRIBUTING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, FOOD, AND SANITATION SUPPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. A TOTAL OF 485 DISASTER CASES WERE ACTIVELY MANAGED IN 2021 RELATED TO THE DR-4605 DISASTER, AND 82 CASES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WV VOAD ALSO PROVIDED RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE TO 162 INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

BRIDGE PROJECT - WV VOAD COORDINATES THE REBUILDING OF PRIVATE ACCESS BRIDGES. THE GOAL OF THE WV VOAD BRIDGE PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE CRITICAL INGRESS/ EGRESS TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY FLOODING IN WEST VIRGINIA WHO LACK THE RESOURCES TO RECOVER ON THEIR OWN. THE ORGANIZATION COORDINATES AND CONTRIBUTES FINANCIALLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAFE BRIDGES BUILT FOR INCREASED RESILIENCE TO FUTURE STORMS. WV VOAD PARTNERS WITH DISASTER RESPONSE AGENCIES, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND BUSINESSES TO COORDINATE VOLUNTEERS, EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MATERIALS WITH NO COST TO WV FAMILIES. WV VOAD AND ITS AFFILIATES COMPLETED 16 BRIDGE PROJECTS IN 2021, WITH 13 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS IN PROCESS AT YEAR-END.

HOUSING PROJECT - WV VOAD COORDINATES THE REBUILDING AND/OR REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 345 HOMES AS A COMPONENT OF THE RISE PROGRAM. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION, NEW CONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, MITIGATION, AND CRITICAL SITE CONDITIONS THAT WERE DESTROYED OR DAMAGED IN THE 2016 FLOODS. WV VOAD PARTNERS WITH DISASTER RESPONSE AGENCIES, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS,FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHER PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS TO COORDINATE VOLUNTEERS, EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MATERIALS WITH NO COST TO WV FAMILIES. IN 2021, WV VOAD COMPLETED 13 HOME CONSTRUCTION AND/OR REHABILITATION PROJECTS. 7 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS WERE IN PROCESS AT YEAR-END.