Actions Log 12/23/10

3 furniture deliveries are made for former MH clients before noon.

We separated our volunteer help into two groups to be able to make deliveries and to be able to respond to West Akron family in crisis. They had been in the house for 4 months in survival mode. Mom thought she was "overdue" with baby.

Assessed conditions of family in West Akron:

• House had no appliances other than a refrigerator that had been recently(in December) obtained through a "rent-a-center" type business which are some of the biggest predators on the poor-$80 a month)
• Running water only in two sinks
• No functioning bath tub/shower
• No waste removal
• Toilet backflows unexpectedly(witnessed this twice)
• Infested with cockroaches
• Family was relocated and running from DV situation that had occurred in another state

Throughout the course of the day 2 primary goals became our objective:

1. Find an alternative livable space
2. Get mom to the hospital

Through the help of ARM involved groups(churches, businesses and acquaintances) we were able to have access, through a generous property owner, to a 3 bedroom house just a few miles away. A donation made from Fishcreek Elementary School that day provided goods for the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen set ups(such as:Shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, broom/mop, bedding, cleaning supplies, dishes, pots and pans, etc) ARM crews delivered 2 full truck loads of furniture, bedding, clothes, groceries, microwave, stove, and refrigerator by 4pm that day.

By 7:30pm we had mom in triage at Summa Hospital. Outcome was that mom was not overdue and her water had not broken as she had assumed. This is imperative information because it allows us to understand that mom is making decisions daily out of panic, fear and crisis mode.

We began day one at 7:30am and finished with both objectives being met by 11pm that evening.

Interesting note: Address of new relief household was 911.