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When Hurricane Isabel pummeled southeastern Virginia last September, human service agencies jumped into action immediately to help area residents. But doing that required cash to buy food, water and ice and provide shelter for thousands of people.

For three area nonprofits $250,000 in emergency grants from The Norfolk Foundation were key elements in providing services throughout the region. After the hurricane hit, the Foundation targeted for grants three agencies that provided basic needs to the region's residents — the American Red Cross of Southeastern Virginia, the Foodbank of Virginia and the Salvation Army's Tidewater Area Command.

"What we needed were immediate funds to make purchases. We had volunteers to cook meals and 16 mobile canteens. What we needed was $100,000 worth of food," says Stephany Eilis, resource development director for the area Salvation Army. "Your funding helped us buy food as well as gas, propane, communications materials and pay for repairs to the canteens."

A week after the hurricane the Foundation sent the Salvation Army, Red Cross and Foodbank each $25,000 checks. Two weeks later the Foundation's board met to assess ongoing needs and authorized additional checks — $50,000 each for die American Red Cross and Salvation Army and $75,000 for the Foodbank.

"This was the largest disaster relief effort we have ever engaged in," says MaryJo Rothgery, executive director of the regional Red Cross chapter. "The support of The Norfolk Foundation was important to our ability to provide services."

At the Foodbank "our shelves were depleted and we had to purchase food to supply area agencies and emergency centers," says Joanne Batson, executive director.

During the next few weeks the Foodbank provided 638,212 pounds of food to area agencies that helped more than 187,000 individuals. The Salvation Army served 101,588 meals and 35,855 snacks and delivered 11,095 boxes of food supplies. It also delivered 133,742 bags of ice, 245 pallets of water and served 226,810 beverages. In addition the Salvation Army operated two shelters and also counseled 2,706 people. The Red Cross operated 26 shelters that housed 6,500 people and had 40 mobile feeding vehicles on the road that served more than 500,000 meals and snacks. It distributed 3,700 clean-up kits and also helped thousands of family with medical and mental health needs.

While Rothgery was pleased with the initial $25,000 grant from the Foundation, she was stunned when a second check for $50,000 arrived a few weeks later. "The generosity of the community and major gifts like this are what let us respond to disasters like the hurricane," she says.

The Foodbank's Batson recalls "sitting at my desk late one day worrying about how we were going to pay for everything" when she got a call from the Foundation telling her about the second check. "That could not have been more wonderful. The Foundation's generosity took me aback."
 

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