No one expected the magnitude of the damage Hurricane Katrina would inflict on New Orleans in 2005. The end result of the storm was devastating.

In total, over $105 billion in damages was recorded. More than 1,500 people lost their lives and 15 million people were impacted by the storm. Homes were destroyed. Some were able to get help and be evacuated right away, but not everyone was so lucky.

The Eagles Wings Foundation pledges to provide assistance to those in need. A multi-faith based non-profit organization, EWF focuses on door-to-door operations to extract survivors of disasters out of their homes and lead them to a safe, more suitable environment.

The founding of EWF was a culmination of the relief responses to Hurricane Floyd, which hit the Bahamas in 1999. Since then, EWF has provided relief to the majority of the immense natural disasters, including the BP oil spill and Haiti’s devastating earthquakes.

Volunteers make an immediate impact on those affected by natural disasters. They do everything from bringing emergency supplies to the survivors to assessing the damage of homes and developing a report. EWF does not wait on donations to reach the survivors, most likely when it is too late. Instead, they take a direct, interactive approach to ensure that relief gets to those suffering right away.

The results of EPW’s groundwork are quite impressive. About 126,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina were served food, water, and medicine to their homes. In Haiti, nearly 2.5 million meals were distributed in just eight days by the first responders of EPW. This immediate relief most likely saved numerous lives.

The Eagles Wings Foundation takes a down and dirty approach to international disaster aid and the results of this hard work are vast. For more information on how to become a volunteer for EFW, visit www.ewfrelief.org.

– William Norris

Sources: Eagles Wings Foundation, Hurricane Katrina Relief
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