'We were able to collaboratively assess' | Camino helps flooding victims in majority-Latino community in Kannapolis

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A month has passed since a mobile home park in Kannapolis was flooded due to torrential rain. Dozens of residents had to evacuate and power was knocked out for days. 

The city of Kannapolis, Cabarrus County, and the Red Cross asked Camino to help because of its extensive experience working with the Latino community for the last 20 years. 

The organization has been sending out team members on a weekly basis to check in with neighbors. 

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Deidre John, Camino’s director of community outreach and engagement, told WCNC Charlotte they assisted 26 families, or a total of 80 people, to move back home. 

“We were able to collaboratively assess the short-term needs, which is food and clothing,” she said. “So we’ve been able to do that.”

 After power and water were restored, she said most residents returned to their homes in the days after., For some, however, they spent weeks elsewhere and feared not having a home.

“From then to today, I think the fear has been reduced,” John said.

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John said Camino’s approach is based on a lot of the organization’s research, which also revealed the Town and Country mobile home park is 90% Latino.

“What social determinants of health does for us, it shows us the specific short-term and long-term for that family,” John explained. “So we cater our services that way.”

She said the process is a long one, and that the next steps are to continue working with the county and the city to see what each unit needs and which ones are in danger of being removed. She said Camino will remain in communication with each family.

Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.