Bayou Recovery Fund Announces $1 Million Gift for Hurricane Ida Relief
September 8, 2021
Thursday, 9/9: Free food; Supply locations; What’s Open
September 9, 2021
Paul Dufrene, a Cut Off native and owner of Dufrene Building Materials, found the family-owned business in terrible condition two days after Hurricane Ida struck his hometown: water was leaking into the building, debris was strewn across the property and the powerful Category 4 storm wrecked the structures that housed location’s materials. After witnessing the devastation to the store, he knew there was a lot of work to be done before it could return to form. Yet, he and his employees rushed to open the doors in whatever capacity possible because they knew the community quickly needed supplies to salvage what’s left, rebuild and recover.
“I got back in town [after evacuating] and as soon as I got off Highway 90, I could start to see the destruction and the power of the storm. And as we got closer to down here — it really, really hit hard,” Dufrene said. “This is all our families, employees and our community. The first thing you think of is jumping into react mode and then start doing whatever you can to help out.”
Days after the storm, the Cut Off location became a hub for the community, where residents of the town and nearby Lafourche communities could pick up free supplies and hot meals as nonprofit organizations launched operations from its front parking lot.
“We are some of the fortunate ones, where we have resources and can help. There’s a lot of people out here that don’t have the resources, and if it’s using our parking lot or using our resources — it’s all about community,” Dufrene said. “These are the people that kept us in business. Going forward, we want to do what we can to help out.”
“So many people came by needing stuff; he [Dufrene] just opened the store and was giving everything away the first day,” said Jamie Hough with Southeast Rescue and Relief.
The day after Ida made landfall, Hough, a native of South Carolina, hauled cooking equipment and food supplies to Lafourche — knowing his fishing buddy, Dufrene, would open up space for him and his organization to prepare hot meals for folks. On Friday, Hough said they were serving around 1,200 meals a day. “The main thing is that we just want people to be happy when we give something positive. A lot of times, that first little piece of hope after a big event like this is going to be a hot meal,” he said.
Next to Hough’s cooker on that blistering Friday, volunteers of Bless Your Heart — a nonprofit based out of Lafourche — unloaded and organized thousands of supplies, from water and canned goods to toiletries, feminine products and cleaning supplies, as they prepared for a massive distribution the following day. Sister and brother Jeray Jarreau and Ross Jambon, Larose natives, are two of only five members of Bless Your Heart. But they had no problem gathering volunteers to help with distribution efforts. “We are so much bigger than five members. This community has embraced Bless Your Heart, and they are the ones who fund our endeavors.”
And even folks outside the Lafourche bayou communities, across the country, in fact, stepped up to provide relief. Messages came pouring in from all over once the organization posted the area’s needs on social media. “We ended up getting linked up with a girl from Pensacola, who kind of has connections all over the place, and they’ve been flying in supplies to the Galliano airport,” Jambon said.
The two put in some long days following the storm, despite Ida dealing significant damage to their Larose homes. The dangerous tropical cyclone busted the windows of Jambon’s house and knocked his camper down to the front of the street, and Jarreau’s home needs to be gutted. “My neighbors jumped in and helped. We got all the stuff we could salvage out of our house brought it to the neighbor’s house. We’re living at my brother’s. My mom’s kind of cooking and watching the kids,” she shared. “And we’re out here.”
The one-stop shop at Dufrene’s is among several examples of folks doing good deeds in the South Lafourche area, whether it’s church groups, businesses or neighbors. Yes, while traveling down the highways along Bayou Lafourche, passersby could witness a sea of blue roofs and remnants of structures that once were. But they also could smell smoke flowing from barbecue pits, read signs of “free food” and glance at smiling volunteers, many of whom are local, loading cars with coveted supplies.
“It doesn’t surprise me that our community is this way; it’s always been this way,” Jarreau said. “It’s just an opportunity for them to shine.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not our first rodeo; this is an area that’s used to hurricanes. This might be one that has a lot of people in a lot more devastation than we’re used to,” Dufrene said. “But I think our people know how to act and know how to respond, and the ones that can respond, I think, are doing it. I mean, you see that.”
CLICK HERE for a list of organizations to donate to that benefit Lafourche.
Editor’s Note: This is just one of several stories the Times has collected while speaking with residents in the Lafourche-Terrebonne area in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The community has stepped up in a big way. As we continue to share these stories, please share with us photos and information of people lending a hand at drew@rushing-media.com.
