According to religious new organization CBN News, Project H.O.P.E (Helping Our People In Emergency) sends counsellors from the Life Management Center of Northwest Florida out to communities affected by disaster. The article focuses on the aftereffects of Hurricane Michael in Florida in 2018.
“We’ve seen this affect people from the lowest of income in our area to the highest of income, those that had less stability in their lives prior to those who had the most stability in their lives prior to the hurricane. It’s affected everybody. People just need to know that it’s OK to reach out and get assistance when you need it,” Tricia Pearce, Life Management Center community relations head told CBN News.
The volunteer counselors help local residents with coping mechanisms and strategies for mental health issues such as depression, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. “We just go out into the community, we talk to people about who we are, and we make them aware of what resources are available to them as far as in the mental health setting, as well as something as simple as coping skills,” said Project H.O.P.E. counselor Jamaica Thompkins to CBN News.
The program is funded by FEMA and is set to run until February 2020.
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