Alabamians support communities and businesses recovering from Hurricane Ida

Cleanup continues after Hurricane Ida struck the Louisiana coastline with Category 4 winds that left parts of the state with a lack of water, flooded neighborhoods, severely damaged homes and businesses, massive power outages and fuel shortages. The water infrastructure was badly damaged, and treatment plants were without electricity, leaving communities with a shortage of drinking water.

With many communities and businesses still recovering, local companies across Alabama are sending life-sustaining relief supplies to help victims of Hurricane Ida:

Within 72 hours of Hurricane Ida, Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED worked with its College Park Coca-Cola Production Center in Georgia and donated 14,000 cases of specially produced drinking water in 12-ounce cans supplied by the Ball Corporation. As a part of the company’s outreach to communities, safe drinking water was transported by truck to affected residents in Louisiana and distributed by New Orleans Coca-Cola, a sales, distribution and production center of Coca-Cola UNITED.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has made a $750,000 donation to the American Red Cross, and The Coca-Cola Company’s North America Operating Unit has donated $100,000 to community organizations in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ida. Coca-Cola UNITED will donate $100,000 to local nonprofits in Louisiana to support immediate and long-term needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Coca-Cola UNITED will also make a $100,000 contribution to its Employees 1st Fund.

“Serving local communities across our six-state footprint is a cornerstone of our business, and we want to do our part in making sure our friends and neighbors to the west have safe water to drink,” said Coca-Cola UNITED Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations Stan Ellington. “Our team is proud to be of service during this difficult time.”

More than 150 students from Loyola University New Orleans were welcomed to the campus of Mobile’s Spring Hill College in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The university lost power and students are being relocated to places with electricity and other essential services. When students couldn’t make it home, Tania Tetlow, president of Loyola University New Orleans, and E. Joseph Lee, president of Spring Hill College, began making plans for these students to come to Spring Hill.

“We are so grateful to Spring Hill for helping us in our time of need,” Tetlow said. “Their generosity has brought comfort and caring to our students. We cannot thank President Lee and his team enough for their quick planning and enormous kindness.”

“It’s an honor to assist the students, faculty and staff from our sister Jesuit school,” Lee said. “This is part of our tradition of service. But most importantly, it’s following Christ’s example of helping those in need. We welcome them to the campus and to the city of Mobile.”

The University of Alabama opened its practice field to Tulane University football and volleyball teams recently because of a loss of electricity in Louisiana. The teams also practiced at Legion Field as they prepared for upcoming games. Tulane University Football tweeted, “We’re headed to Birmingham, Alabama to continue preparing for next week’s kickoff.” Tulane University’s football team will play a free game at Legion Field Saturday, Sept. 11, against Morgan State. The game comes as power is still being restored in Louisiana and disruptions continue across New Orleans metro in wake of Hurricane Ida. The game will start at noon, and gates will open to fans at 10:30 a.m. Tulane’s Volleyball team will host a tournament at UAB Bartow’s Arena on Sept. 17-18. Admission is free for both events.

Regions Bank announced a series of financial services to help people and businesses affected by Hurricane Ida. In addition, the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit initiative funded primarily by Regions Bank, announced a commitment of $250,000 in grant funding for organizations providing disaster relief. To read the full announcement, visit regions.com.

The Birmingham Division Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) is partnering with Rick and Mick Ministries to aid Louisiana families throughout September. Many residents in New Orleans need bottled water, nonperishable food items, adult and baby diapers, wipes, trash bags and toilet paper. Weekly pickups are every Friday in September through October 1.

Drop off locations include:

• General Service Complex. Contact Jocelyn Vigneulle: 744 County Road 87, Building 8 in Calera.
• Metro Central Business Office. Contact Natalie Bailey or Phillis Dickinson: 1313 Sixth Ave. N., Birmingham.
• East Jefferson Business Office. Contact Kenya Walton: 9820 Parkway E., Birmingham.
• Metro South Business Office. Contact Jasmine Sledge: 2 Industrial Park Drive, Pelham.
• West Jefferson Business Office. Contact Monice Otieno: 2901 Allison Bonnett Memorial Drive, Hueytown.
• Business Service Center. Contact Denise McDaniel: Alabama Power Company, 600 18th St. N., Birmingham.

To purchase Amazon items, go to APSO Hurricane Relief Wishlist. For more information, call 205-438-5294.

The Mobile Division Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) partnered with Feeding the Gulf Coast to distribute boxes of food and other items for Hurricane Ida victims.

“Mobile Division APSO was happy to partner with Feeding the Gulf Coast to assist with this drive-thru food distribution event,” said Sharon Murrill, Mobile Division External Affairs community relations manager and APSO president. “Families displaced due to Hurricane Ida from Mississippi and Louisiana who were temporarily staying in the Mobile area received MRE’s, bottled water, bags of fruit and vegetables, and diapers for children if needed. Many parents drove through with small children, and we were thankful to be able to help those in need.”

Feeding the Gulf Coast works through member organizations and special programs to provide nutritious food to meet the challenge of feeding people who are hungry as a result of personal crisis or disaster. Follow this link to make a donation or volunteer.

The office of Gov. Kay Ivey issued a supplemental state of emergency to the current state of emergency in place for Hurricane Ida: “We currently have Ida evacuees staying in Alabama, and I want to ensure that our state is doing our part to bring any possible relief to them. Following a tough storm, obtaining prescription refills can be problematic, and this supplemental state of emergency will enable these evacuees to safely and more easily get those refills. We will do all we can to help our friends in Louisiana and Mississippi get back on their feet, and I want to assure them that they are more than welcome to contact this office for assistance.” To read the proclamation, click here.

Walmart launched a register campaign to support the American Red Cross at all Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs across the U.S. The company matched dollar-for-dollar customer donations up to $5 million. Customers and members were given the opportunity to donate any amount, or round up their purchase to the nearest dollar with the change going to the American Red Cross to support communities impacted by hurricanes, floods and fires in 2021. The register campaign is in addition to the $5 million commitment for response efforts to Hurricane Ida for a total of up to $10 million from Walmart, the Walmart Foundation and Sam’s Club to help with disaster relief and response.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)