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PRESS RELEASE
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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| Friday, March 28, 2003 |
Contact: AoA Press Office
(202) 401-4541 |
AoA Provides Disaster Relief To Tennessee’s Older
Tornado Victims
Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for
Aging Josefina G. Carbonell today awarded $30,000 to the Tennessee
Commission on Aging and Disability to reimburse local communities
in their recovery efforts following the severe tornado damage
that hit in several areas of the state November 9 to 11, 2002.
On November 15, 2002, President Bush declared the following 16
counties: Anderson, Bedford, Carroll, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland,
Gibson, Henderson, Madison, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Rutherford,
Scott, Sumner and Tipton as eligible for national disaster assistance.
Assistant Secretary Carbonell expressed her commitment to helping
the older victims affected by these tornadoes recover. “Many
rural seniors living in the paths or vicinity of the tornadoes
were devastated by the huge loss of personal property. I am proud
of the way our aging network in Tennessee was quickly able to
assess critical needs, and provide essential services and personalized
assistance to those elderly putting their lives and homes back
together,” said Assistant Secretary Carbonell.
Many older persons were severely impacted by the tornadoes, but
seniors were especially hard hit in rural Morgan County in East
Tennessee, where property damage was the most serious. The individuals
receiving assistance ranged in age from 60 to 100 years, and they
sustained property damage ranging from minor to a total loss.
Supportive services were provided in all the 16 counties affected,
but the most serious need was in rural areas, where power outages
required emergency food supplies and a number of evacuations.
Continuing clean-up efforts, handyman, and transportation services
are still in great demand.
The AoA disaster relief funds are needed to provide critical
gap-filling services such as case management and advocacy, chore
services, legal services, transportation, handyman and other assistance
to meet individual needs of elderly persons affected by the severe
storms. The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability continues
its work with the four local Area Agencies on Aging that serve
the 16 counties affected by this disaster to assure that older
persons receive the services they need in coping with the aftermath
of the tornadoes
For additional information on AoA’s national disaster preparedness
and response activities, please contact Irma Tetzloff at (202)
357-3525.
| Last Modified: 7/16/2009 9:06:11 AM |
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