Disaster Response Team Helps Repair Flood Damaged Homes... And More Volunteers Are Needed
OAK PARK (WWJ) - There's still a lot of work to be done, now one week since torrential rains flooded homes across metro Detroit.
Volunteers from Nechama — a Jewish disaster response team from Minnesota — are in town to help families in need like that of Zev Matthews of Oak Park.
He has ten children and his finished basement was left in ruin.
Perry Ohren, who is helping out as part of Jewish Family Services, told WWJ Newsradio 950's Sandra McNeil the Matthews family has bedrooms in the basement.
"They had two bedrooms and the laundry room and a bathroom and a playroom for the kids...and it's totally destroyed," Ohren said.
"Basically what we're doing is we're getting everything out of the basement, and we're cutting the drywall, and we're getting rid of the paneling so that it's ready to be redone," Ohren said.
Added volunteer Dan Trudeau,"We've torn, probably, paneling off of about three large exterior walls, and then four or five interior walls, I think we've removed...taken all the paneling down, knocked down the two-by-fours."
"It's dirty, it's hard work, it's sweaty, and there's a lot of debris that needs to be taken out," Trudeau said.
Ohren said helping each other is just what neighbors should do; and more volunteers are needed.
"My son's out here as well, and there's plenty of work...This is just one home," said Ohren.
"My home in Huntington Woods was flooded a mile away — we've dog out of that," he added, "and we're here to help."
Anyone who would like to volunteer can call 763-732-0610, or visit Nechama.org for more information.
