ECCO assists Hurrican Matthew victims

In the past couple of weeks, I have heard many friends and acquaintances say, “We were lucky this time.”

I’m sure most our East Cooper neighbors have said the same thing. The day after the storm, I came to the office to see if there was any damage. Thank the Lord, there was none. On Monday, I went to Huger to inspect our center. And again, I saw no damage. While I was there, I toured the community where the “flood of a thousand years” hit so hard, especially the French Quarter Creek area. Once again, there was no loss. As a community, we can be thankful that most were spared any real harm from Hurricane Matthew.

Despite of our visual assessment, there are still those in our community who are suffering in a different way. So who are these victims? Those who work for hourly wages and tips - the working poor. For example, consider the single mother who lives in North Charleston and makes her living as a waitress in the restaurant industry in Mount Pleasant. As the storm progresses towards the Lowcountry and forecasts show the potential impact on our community, she wants to protect her family and evacuates with her two small children to Columbia on Wednesday night after work when the lanes of I-26 were reversed. She stays in a hotel for four nights and returns to North Charleston safely on Sunday night.

Let’s consider this situation from a financial perspective. First, these folks live paycheck to paycheck. Second, account for the missed days from work. If they can’t work, there are no hourly wages or tips. It’s a no-brainer; employees who are paid hourly don’t have any income when they can’t work. Third, the costs are what really hurts: four nights in a hotel room; gas for the trip (and extra, extra gas for the long lines of slow moving traffic). On top of these expenses, figure in the cost for meals.

When she returns home and goes back to work, the loss of income has devastating consequences. Her next month’s rent is due. The electric and water bills are owed. She finds herself in a deep hole. It won’t be long before the utilities are shut off and/or she faces eviction, which could result in the loss of her children’s custody. What does she do?

This mom is only one example of those who are discovering themselves in similar situations. There are thousands of workers, who make up our community (that may not live in East Cooper), finding themselves in these circumstances. What do they do?

ECCO can help! Fortunately, in 2008, a fund was created through a capital campaign that included the financial means to offer emergency assistance after disaster situations. People who live or work in East Cooper experiencing emergency situations like this can find relief at ECCO. Last year after the “flood of a thousand years,” ECCO assisted more than twenty of our neighbors in need with home repairs. Should someone incur unexpected expenses due to a catastrophic event like personal hurricane recovery, ECCO can help those who lack the resources needed to get by.

If you would like to help, please visit our website: www.ECCOcharleston.org.