RIO Press Release
| For Immediate Release | Media Contact : |
| October 1, 2009 | Tina Potthoff |
WORKING TO RECOVER: PEOPLE MOVING BACK HOME
Waterloo Woman Who Became the Face from Iowa on Tide “Disaster” Commercial Moves Home After Renovation to Flood-Damaged House
Note: More than $3.2 billion in disaster-recovery funds have been committed to Iowa since the 2008 floods and tornadoes. “Working to Recover” is an effort by the Rebuild Iowa Office to show how disaster recovery funds have assisted individuals, businesses and communities as the money flows out through recovery programs administered by local, state, federal and non-profit agencies. Volunteer efforts will also be highlighted.
(DES MOINES) – Janet Kendall-Post, 58, of Waterloo, appreciates the simple things in life even more since her home was severely damaged in the devastating floods of 2008: hot showers, clean laundry and her own bed just to name a few.
Now, Kendall-Post and husband, William Post, have experienced the best pleasure of all since the disasters of 2008 – moving back into their renovated home.
Kendall-Post is quick to say their journey since the floods damaged their home has been assisted in many ways by local, state and federal programs, as well as volunteers. Not only did she apply and receive Jumpstart Housing assistance to fix up her house, but she also worked with volunteers and non-profits to receive donated household goods. With the assistance, the couple was recently able to move out of their mobile home, which was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“We have gotten so much help,” she said. “Right after the flood we were living in our garage with nothing but a hose to clean things up. I was heating big pans of water on a camp stove to wash up. It was unbelievable.”
She remembers being able to wash her mud-covered clothes at the Tide “Loads of Hope” mobile laundry bus shortly after the flooding damaged her home.
While she appreciated the service from Tide, little did she know her face would eventually represent the program to disaster-affected people across the United States in a “Loads of Hope” TV commercial.
‘Loads of Hope’
Kendall-Post is the second woman who appears on the commercial. Tide representatives interviewed Kendall-Post when she dropped by to use their laundry services. Later, a clip from that interview was selected for use in the national commercial that started running last March, and ran into the summer.
The “Loads of Hope” commercial begins running again this month and will run to the end of December.
Even though the commercial doesn’t identify her by name or state, Kendall-Post has been recognized by old friends who now live in other states because they saw her in the commercial. People also recognized her when she traveled to Florida.
The Tide “Loads of Hope” interview with Kendall-Post and five other people from Iowa, as well as others from across the United States who were affected by other disasters, can be found on the Tide Web site at www.tide.com. Once there, go to the Tide “Loads of Hope” tab at the top. From there a section of photos come up, and people can choose from a number of towns across the United States. All the Iowa interviews appear by clicking on the “Waterloo, IA” selection. The commercial can be viewed on Youtube, according to a Tide spokesperson.
Two from among thousands
Kendall-Post and her husband are just two of the thousands of Iowans assisted through disaster-recovery programs made available as a result of last summer’s devastating floods and tornadoes. Much of the funding for the various recovery programs are the result of more than $3.2 billion in disaster-recovery funds which have been allocated to the state since the tornadoes and floods.
Statistically, the couple represents:
- Two homeowners who have received a payment from the $134 million committed to homeowners under Jumpstart Iowa Housing Assistance programs.
- One of the 135 households receiving money in Black Hawk County through various non-profit organizations at the local level with the assistance of the Black Hawk County Recovery Coalition, which is the local long-term recovery committee. To date, the Coalition has given out a total of $186,055 to disaster victims from strictly local sources.
- One of the many couples that obtained numerous household goods from a local organization called Shepherd’s Closet.
- Two people who utilized the FEMA mobile homes placed in Iowa after the disasters of 2008.
Kendall-Post plans to host several open houses to show her appreciation to all the people who helped the couple recover.
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