Operation Compassion Ensures Hurricane Relief Supplies Stay Stocked

Operation Compassion opened a multi-faceted facility to ensure supplies never get depleted.

By Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, March 14, 2006

About 420,000 families were displaced by the U.S. Gulf Coast hurricanes and while charity agencies have kept aid flowing with mobile units and disaster relief centers, Operation Compassion opened a multi-faceted facility to ensure supplies never get depleted.

The charitable organization opened the New Orleans Ministries and Command Center (NOMACC) in Chalmette to serve as the hub of distribution in and around the ravaged city. The warehouse is being stocked to capacity with semi trucks refilling products on a weekly basis. Its stock is expected to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast victims until satisfied.

Much of the distribution at the NOMACC is of family food boxes that an additional box truck, measuring 26 feet, delivers each day to areas where families have limited or no resources.

Hot meals are also provided through Operation Compassion's feeding station. The mobile commercial kitchens can prepare 7,000 to 10,000 meals per day.

While Operation Compassion has the physical relief covered, the organization invited a group of chaplains to help relieve the stress and emotional toll that the hurricane wrought on to the people. The Chaplain's Commission has sent more than 50 teams to aid at the NOMACC.

Operation Compassion began relief efforts when Katrina struck the Gulf Coast more than six months ago. Monetary aid totaled $30,000 which was directed toward pastors who had lost their churches and income. Additionally, 19 disaster relief sites were established in southern Louisiana and several hundred semi trucks loaded with food and disaster relief products were sent.

Meanwhile, nearly $2 billion in federal disaster aid for Katrina evacuees remains unclaimed. Only 11 states requested aid, still leaving millions of the congressionally approved federal money unused as families are in tremendous need.

States have until Aug. 31 to apply for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, according to Wade Horn, assistant secretary of the Health and Human Services Department.