Press Box

What has the CDRC done to help with the VT tragedy?

" 4/16-4/19 VT Inn Family staging area and community/campus outreach 20 volunteers provided 240 CDRC volunteer hours
" Outreach continues on campus and NRV community

" Lane Class re-entry: 4/22-23: recruited, organized and decompressed 120 of the volunteers present 1080 volunteer hours

" Between class re-entry and graduation distributed 48,000 multilingual resource brochures and provided outreach 1536 volunteer hours
" Trained 186 new volunteers 1104 volunteer hours

" Graduation: Provided volunteers 24/7 for family coverage 2 days and recruited CDRC trained volunteers for commencement support 1 day 352.5 volunteer hours
" Decompressions provided to 42 participants by 5/18 8 volunteer hours

" Total NRV CDRC volunteer hours 4/16/07-5/18/07 = 4,320.5

" NRV CDRC Continues to provide community outreach, long term recovery planning and training- apartment complexes, senior residences, clergy

NRV- Community Disaster Response Coalition Report- VT OPs

Focus has been on outreach and planning for community healing. We have also been working on getting volunteers who were trained in mobilization courses to obtain background checks and identification badges. A presentation was provided at Warm Hearth (July 2) and resource materials provided, with an agreement to provide the new brochure when completed to them for distribution in their monthly newsletter. Informal decompressions have been utilized and in the process of providing brochures to housing complexes teams have provided direct support to managerial, maintenance and service personnel. Members of TADBHAC have agreed to use part of their technical assistance funding to adapt the Disaster Mental Health materials to address those topics identified by the community stakeholders. That funding ends on Aug. 30 so the workshop powerpoints and handouts will be completed before then. YMCA Open University will host the courses which are free, CDRC will recruit from volunteers, VT and RU staff, MHA and CSB for facilitators to volunteer to present the workshops. The headquarters for the Response Operation moved July 14 to donated space over the Hanna Real Estate Offices on Church St. 540-449-2675 is the number for contact Dorinda's Cell)
Mailing address is still 420 Springdale Rd. Pearisburg, VA 24134.

May 30- participated in Lyric Screening of Forgiveness documentary and curriculum
Met with Jewish Family Services consultants on remote follow up issues for students/family
June 1- participated in CSB hotwash of DMH response
June- revisions on resource brochure continued with emphasis on translation and new numbers being added.
July 5- met with Catholic Charities CEO in Richmond
July 11- DMH 101 course/Community Meeting
July 19-CISM meeting to do hotwash and disaster planning for future
Ongoing tasks:
" background checks and identification badges for trained volunteers
" Development of workshop "packages" for YMCA Open University
" Support teams distributing resource/educational materials at natural gatherings (county fair, Stepping Out, Floyd Fest etc.) through summer and early fall
" Seeking grant funding for activities described in stakeholder meeting
" Communication and coordination with other activities on and off campus
" No further funding has been provided thus far, brochures etc. are donated by CSB, churches and other agencies.

Future plans
" Obtain funding for retreats, presentation materials, workshops
" Continue to provide training locally
" Begin YMCA workshops in all four areas of community
" Prepare materials for holiday related issues after disaster
" Continue to coordinate with campus and other community group

8/10/07 NRV CDRC Outreach Update

The CDRC has participated in two outreach projects in the period covering 7/30/07- 8/4/07 and continues to work with CHAT in planning, educating and coordinating outreach.

The NRV Fair donated booth space for 6 days. Volunteers staffed the booth, provided educational/resource materials, encouraged community members to sign the quilt and spoke with many individuals at length about the impact of the 4/16/07 shootings on them.
Total Contacts= 1,517 95 volunteer hours

Stepping Out required payment for the booth space and CDRC staffed that and the Lyric with disaster support team members. Educational/resource materials were provided, community embers signed a memorial quilt and several individuals spoke at length with support team members at either the Lyric or booth site.
Total contacts= 1,115 71 volunteer hours

New brochures arrived today- volunteers will be recruited to distribute to housing and healthcare sites. CDRC may be requested to assist with the 8/19/07 memorial stones dedication on campus, pending the decision by the event committee. Dates and locations for the YMCA Community Healing workshops have been finalized, recruitment for volunteer facilitators will begin next week.