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Save the Children Assessing the Needs of Alabama Children Following Tornado
Washington, DC (March 2, 2007) — Following the deadly tornados that struck America's Midwest and Southeast on Thursday, Save the Children is dispatching a team of experts to assess the needs of children and their families in Enterprise, Alabama, where a tornado struck a local high school, killing several students.
"As communities struggle to pick up the pieces in the wake of natural disasters, the unique needs of children can get lost in the mix" said Mark K. Shriver, Vice President and Managing Director for Save the Children's U.S. Programs. "Save the Children's experience serving the youngest victims of Hurricane Katrina demonstrates that, while children are resilient, they often need community support as they work through the loss and insecurity resulting from a disaster."
Save the Children plans to offer schools and shelters specially tailored activities to bring some normalcy into children’s lives and help them heal emotionally. Save the Children’s signature emotional-support programs — which have assisted thousands of displaced children in Louisiana and Mississippi during the past 18 months — help children and their adult caregivers cope with the disaster and process their experiences. In addition, the agency will assess child-care needs in the area, offering assistance where needed.
"In the wake of this horrible tragedy, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families in Enterprise," said Shriver.
