Evacuees find homes in Lincoln

“We’ve turned them all over,” said Tom Barber, mission executive director. The families have all found homes in the Lincoln area.

Now the mission and others are turning their attention to other evacuees in the community.

“We’re hoping we can do the same thing for them,” said Barber.

An effort is under way to bring families, churches and human service volunteers together to help other displaced people who are here living temporarily with family or friends.

Lincoln Lancaster County Human Services Administrator Kit Boesch has already lined up 60 Hurricane Katrina families with “point of contact” volunteers who will assist them with everything from finding childcare to getting children enrolled in school.

A human services fair has been scheduled for later this week.

Initially, Barber hoped to bring 200 evacuees to Lincoln on the buses — and area churches lined up to help sponsor a family for up to six months. 

“We have churches all over the map,” said Barber. “One hundred and fifteen churches have shown up at our doorstep … from every group and denomination.”

And many of those churches are still waiting to assist a family in need.

But to do that, agencies need to know who is here and who needs help, said Boesch.

She hopes evacuees who plan to stay in Lincoln at least three to four months will contact the local Red Cross office at 441-7997.

The Red Cross can put them in contact with Boesch’s office to receive a point of contact volunteer. And from there to Barber who can connect them to churches willing to sponsor them.

In addition:

* Barber is looking for volunteers willing to help hurricane victims in Louisiana the week of Oct. 7-15. For more information, call the mission at 475-1303

* Donations of food and clothing to help those left homeless by Hurricane Katrina can be taken to the city mission at 110 Q St.