RESERVE, La. — While many of us were surrounded by family this Thanksgiving, about a dozen volunteers spent the day working on homes damaged by Hurricane Ida in Reserve.
"We have stable homes, we know where we live, and these people have been displaced and their Thanksgiving is going to be otherwise a nightmare and if we can make this Thanksgiving not a nightmare, that they can see the love of Jesus Christ, that is the goal," Kathy Waltosz, a volunteer from Washington, said.
Waltosz said even though she is not spending Thanksgiving with family, there is nowhere else she would want to be.
"Particularly on Thanksgiving. Particularly on Thanksgiving. God has done so much for me in my whole life that I can't think of a better way to say thank you to him than to give a better Thanksgiving to someone he loves who may not even know it," Waltosz said.
Her husband who she met while both were volunteering after Hurricane Harvey is doing the same across the country
"My husband is up in Washington doing the exact same thing," she said.
The group is volunteering with a relief group from North Carolina called Samaritan's Purse. Volunteers come from all over the country. They responded after Ida and have so far helped 434 families affected by the hurricane. They have committed to 259 more homes.
"They have left their families to come here to help us and what a blessing it is," Reserve resident, Daphne McClean said.
The group has been gutting homes, tarping homes and removing debris and trees. McClean is thankful for the help.
"I can't imagine without them," McClean said. "I'm so appreciative to them."
It's giving so many facing tough times something big to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day.
"It lifted me, really did," McClean said.
Samaritan's Purse welcomes any local volunteers to help. Volunteers can sign up at spvolunteer.org or show up to Saints Community Church in Metairie any day but Sunday at 7:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
Ida relief volunteers spend Thanksgiving Day working on damaged homes.
Waltosz said even though she is not spending Thanksgiving with family, there is nowhere else she would want to be.