Charity In Action is a
humanitarian and emergency services
collaborative. Conceived as a way to combine and leverage the
commitment of many individual volunteers in coordination with
established aid agencies as well as state and local governments, our
goal has been to bring rapid relief to areas where there is unmet need,
and to continue assistance into the recovery and rebuilding phases.
The storm struck the Mississippi coast on August 29, 2005. There’s been some progress in the rebuilding effort, but let’s not forget that there’s a long way to go, and many people still don’t have a normal home and a normal life. Soon Charity In Action will also be three years old. As we look towards beginning our fourth year under dynamic new leadership, we rededicate ourselves to being of service, both there and wherever our help can do the most good.
Updated August 25, 2008
In late February - early March 2008, Charity In Action sponsored another service trip to Pearlington, MS by Bryn Athyn College. 16 students and several adults worked on rebuilding homes. Read a student’s account of the trip here ,and view pictures here.
Our summer 2007 matching fundraiser enabled us to send $9,800 to West Hancock Fire Rescue in the fall. They purchased “jaws of life” with our help.
We finished the year with a $5,000 donation to the Helping Hands fund at the Hope Haven Children's Shelter in Bay St. Louis, MS. This fund is designed to give assistance to the neediest hurricane victims in the community. It was nearly depleted and our donation came just in time to help pay electric bills and keep the lights and heat on for some struggling families, to provide temporary housing for a family living in a tent, and much more.
As mentioned in our May update, we are still conducting our fund drive to assist West Hancock Fire Rescue in Pearlington, Mississippi. It will end on September 1.
From July 21 to 27, eight Pennsylvania firefighters traveled to Mississippi to help WHFR. The group was led by Greg Jakubowski, Battalion Chief of the Lingohocken Fire Co. Read his account of the trip here, and view a few of his pictures here.
Updated August 19, 2007
Charity In Action is working to assist a fire and rescue company that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. West Hancock Fire Rescue is based in Pearlington, MS where Katrina made landfall. Every building was damaged or destroyed. Some former residents are gone; the rest are struggling to rebuild. It will be two more years before the tax base is restored for this all-volunteer fire company.
WHFR is the first responder for a 75-square-mile area that includes a section of I-10 and a large industrial port facility. Residents, tourists, and the hundreds of volunteers that come to the area to work on the rebuilding effort all count on WHFR to be there for them in an emergency. Its few members are valiantly keeping up this work while also holding paid jobs and rebuilding their homes.
The firehouse was completely destroyed. Several donated or loaned emergency vehicles are housed in a temporary shelter funded by FEMA and constructed by the Seabees. The volunteers now operate out of a trailer. FEMA does not pay for operating costs, not even fuel. The needs are great.
Charity In Action sent $5,000 to WHFR in March 2007 to cover the most immediate needs: repairing the brakes on their main truck, and buying fuel. Now we are conducting a matching funds donation drive. Charity In Action will match donations we receive for this purpose up to a total of $10,000 until 9/1/07. To receive the match, contributions should be earmarked “WHFR”. Click here to learn more about where to donate, or here to contact us for more information.
We are also working with the Bryn Athyn Fire Company in Pennsylvania. BAFC is attempting to collect donations of specific needed equipment and supplies for WHFR, and is helping us spread the word to other fire companies. In addition to donated items, WHFR also welcomes volunteer firefighters and EMTs to come down and help.
Updated May 17, 2007
Charity In Action recently sponsored a very successful service trip to Pearlington, Mississippi by a group of volunteers from Bryn Athyn College. Read an account of their experiences written by one of the group leaders here. View pictures from their trip here.
Updated March 21, 2007