Homeschool group makes impact after Ida

SERVE founder Jodie Ellis and others in the group have been instrumental is giving out essentials after Hurricane Ida.

A homeschool group that was founded earlier this year has had a major impact on St. Charles Parish following the devastation of Hurricane Ida.

The group is SERVE, which stands for supporting, encouraging, reaching, volunteering and educating. The organization’s mission is to support homeschool families and the local community, as well as to encourage homeschoolers to reach out, volunteer and gain education from experiences.

Founder Jodie Ellis said that she and her family know first-hand the devastation a hurricane can bring.

“We lost everything we had in Katrina,” she said. “I don’t want people to feel forgotten.”

Immediately following the storm, Ellis sprang into action to do what she could to help local communities, including St. Charles Parish.

“I just started going and started cooking food and driving it out to these people who were hungry,” she said. “We were chasing the linemen down to feed them … just trying to fill whatever need we could find.”

Ellis said that as the 25 SERVE families made their ways back to town after evacuating, they too got in on helping storm victims. The group has received money from other homeschool groups from around the country to help with recovery efforts, and they have also collaborated with CASA to meet needs.

SERVE members are currently working on coat and toy drives for the upcoming winter and holiday seasons.

“People have been overwhelmed with thankfulness,” Ellis said. “Some people just cried because they couldn’t believe that people were taking care of them and helping them. It’s just funny the way that things worked out … every time there was a need we met it. It didn’t matter what it was, we just went and did it. Thank God that He was able to help us fill the needs of these people.”

Those interested can donate to SERVE via PayPal ( servehomeschool@gmail.com), Venmo (servehomeschool@gmail.com) or text to give (text HELPRECOVER to 44321).

 

About Monique Roth 919 Articles
Roth has both her undergraduate and graduate degree in journalism, which she has utilized in the past as an instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University and a reporter at various newspapers and online publications. She grew up in LaPlace, where she currently resides with her husband and three daughters.

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