Disaster Child Care sets record number of centers, states.

Volunteers with Disaster Child Care (DCC), a General Board program, are serving in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Virginia following a record number of hurricanes to hit the US in recent weeks. "To my knowledge, this is the first time Disaster Child Care volunteers have staffed eight child care centers at one time, in three states, since the program began in 1980," said coordinator Helen Stonesifer. "We're setting a record for ourselves, don't know if that's good or bad."

In Florida, DCC volunteers are staffing four centers. At the request of FEMA, a new child care project has opened in Gulf Breeze with volunteers who were serving in Orlando and Kissimmee. The program has reopened the center in Kissimmee after FEMA reported that clientele numbers increased dramatically there, and volunteers will arrive Oct. 3. Two teams of child care volunteers deployed to Montgomery, Ala., at the request of the American Red Cross have been reassigned to Pensacola, in Escambia County. The county sustained some of the greatest damage due to Hurricane Ivan, said Stonesifer. Another team has been deployed to replace volunteers who have completed their two-week assignments. Since the first project opened in Florida Aug. 22, over 63 volunteers have made contact with approximately 1,140 children.

Four centers are open in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Three teams of child care volunteers are staffing Disaster Recovery Centers in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Claysburgh, Pa. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency requested that child care be provided in ten FEMA centers, Stonesifer said. "Although, our network of volunteers cannot support staffing ten centers, we have committed to serving in two," she reported. Since then, the program opened a third center as well.

DCC project managers also spent time at a day care center in Pensacola, giving advice on how to help children work through emotions related to disasters. Gloria Cooper and Cheryl Dekker spoke with the director and 18 staff members at the For Kids Only Children's Day School. Stonesifer also announced that DCC is "honored to be hosting Laura Austin, a representative from the Canadian Disaster Child Care Society." Austin will be serving at the Gulf Breeze center for two weeks to learn more about setting up a child care project.

Source: Newsline 10/01/2004
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