After the Flood
(1901)

Tuesday, October 18, at 6:30 pm
Friday, October 21, at 11:30 pm

Another View explores the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina through the eyes of the Thomas family. After Katrina ravaged New Orleans, Wallace Thomas flew from New Jersey to find his family and bring them back to his home in Lawrence, New Jersey. It has been almost two months since Katrina forced the 24 family members to re-locate with only the clothes on their backs. Learn about the obstacles they had to overcome and what they are doing to stick together in the name of family.

Connie Mercer, the Director of HomeFront, a non-profit social services organization that assists homeless families in Mercer County, gives her take on Katrina's aftermath. HomeFront has been instrumental in assisting the Thomas family's transition to New Jersey. Mercer shares her perspective on the realities of poverty of others who are still in need:

“Last year, we served over 4000 homeless families. They, like the Katrina families, have lost everything they have, lost their sense of community, their sense of worth and family mementos. Because, when you become homeless, even if it's local homelessness, you don’t scoop up your favorite pictures in a bag and carry them to safety. So I’m thrilled that the Katrina families are getting what they need to get on with their lives. But I’m just really sad that the community can’t always help other folks who are struggling with poverty and homelessness… Can’t help them with the resources they need to move on with their lives.”

Mercer also outlines her organization's efforts in helping hundreds of families who are without a home, those she describes as the “poverty nomads”.