Press Releases
Released on March 15, 2007
RECOVERY CORPS, AMERICAN RED CROSS ADDRESSING UNMET HEALTH NEEDS OF HURRICANE-DISPLACED RESIDENTS
Organizations partner to host first Family Wellness Expo
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps and the American Red Cross Hurricane Recovery Program will host a Family Wellness Expo offering free medical services to hurricane-displaced residents however; the event is open to the public.
The expo will take place at Renaissance Village in Baker, La., on Saturday, March 24, 2007, and include free dental exams, boosters, pap smears and breast exams, as well as several other health screenings. Local service providers from Catholic Charities, American Red Cross and Unique Home Health will be on site to offer residents information on mental health and substance abuse treatment, personal growth activities, education enrichment, and career building resources.
“The Recovery Corps is participating in this day of health to provide families and individuals with medical attention they may have neglected in order to finance their recovery from the storms and also give them an opportunity to learn about available resources that can help them reestablish their lives,” said Raymond A. Jetson, chief executive officer of the Recovery Corps. “Proper health is a necessity that should be made available to all citizens regardless of income or circumstances.”
The expo is being made possible by a large network of nonprofit and faith-based organizations. The Recovery Corps and the American Red Cross Hurricane Recovery Program are partnering with the Capitol City Family Health Center, Greater King David Baptist Church, Harmony Outreach Services,
Louisiana Spirit, My Key 2 Health, Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge and the Capital Area Human Services District.
“We are hosting the event because many hurricane survivors no longer have medical records or the resources to seek medical services since the storms,” said Amy Brassett, community relations specialist for the American Red Cross. “This expo will help participants get medical check-ups and create contacts they can follow up with in the future.”
In addition to health and wellness programs, the expo will give residents an opportunity to hear from local celebrity speakers covering a variety of topics. Musical relief will be provided by native Louisiana talent, including singer Terrell Griffin, hip-hop artist Kelton, and singers Ernest and Erica Jackson. Refreshments will be available free of charge and door prizes will be given away throughout the day.
“The Wellness Expo not only provides hurricane survivors with much needed health services, it also gives them an opportunity to interact with members of the community.” said Terrell Griffin, Recovery Corps field coordinator in the Baton Rouge Area.
Residents interested in participating can register the day of the event, which will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Greater King David Baptist Church is providing transportation for residents from other transitional communities. Those who need transportation should contact their site managers, case managers, outreach coordinators or directors to make arrangements in advance. Renaissance Village is located at 1900 Groom Rd., Baker, La.
