Pillowcase Project preps children for emergencies

With an intent eye on designing their pillowcases, the children at New Life Community Church were getting prepared at an emergency prep workshop.“We’re thankful for the opportunity to provide this workshop for our community and appreciate the facilitation by the American Red Cross and their volunteers,” said Jennifer Green, the Luling church’s ministries coordinator.

It’s a timely move considering this year’s season is expected to be a busy one. Tropical Storm Cindy lashed the coast last month with heavy rain and, in some areas, heavy winds, too. St. Charles Parish mobilized, as did many surrounding areas, in anticipation of the storm’s impact.

The message is being prepared works.

This initiative is the Red Cross’ Pillowcase Project and it’s aimed at preparing children in grades 3 to 5 for disaster.

At New Life Community Church, the children learned how emergencies happen and how to stay safe when they do.

Instructors provided important preparedness information to children and parents, and each child received a “Preparedness Workbook” that can be used to help create a family plan for various emergencies.

They also led the children through an activity called “Breathe in Color,” where they learned one coping mechanism that can help deal with thoughts and feelings in an emergency situation. Participants also received a pillowcase, which they decorated. The children also learned what types of supplies would be helpful to pack in their pillowcase preparedness kit.

The Pillowcase Project started in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, said Kay Wilkins, then the regional chief executive for the Louisiana Red Cross, who created the concept.

“Following this historic disaster, our local chapter was looking for ways to teach children about hurricane season,” Wilkins said. “I remembered hearing how Loyola students evacuating before Katrina boarding university buses carrying pillowcases with them filled with things they may need or couldn’t stand to leave behind.”

Inspired by this, Wilkins asked her team to take a pillowcase and write the items typically included in a disaster supply kit around the edges, leaving spaces in the center for the kids to draw a favorite item they should pack.

“We then created a lesson plan that allowed us to talk about how scary hurricanes could be and things we could do to not be afraid, using the pillowcase preparedness kit as an empowerment tool,” she said.

Wilkins also recalled how she showed a copy of a pillowcase to a representative with the Walt Disney Foundation, which led to them to it becoming the sole donor and sponsor of the program. The United Way also sponsors the effort.

“United Way of St Charles is proud to fund and advocate for programs like The Pillowcase Project that are proactive in keeping our community both more prepared and safer,” says John Dias, chief executive officer for the United Way of St. Charles Parish.

From there, the Pillowcase Project became a national initiative with the Red Cross.

For Green, it’s a welcome opportunity to be prepared.

“As we enter into hurricane season, we certainly pray it is a calm season with no major storms,” she added. “But we also want to do what we can to help people in our community be prepared, including children.”

 

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