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Shelters down to two after Arts Council closes
The number of shelters on Saipan is down to two after the Arts Council on Capital Hill closed, leaving the Office on Aging in Chinatown and the Kagman Community Center to house the remaining 162 individuals that are still in shelters a month after Typhoon Soudelor battered the island.
Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Division of Youth Services’ Vivian Sablan said the Aging Center has a total of 101 shelterees, with the added head count from the Arts Council.
Some evacuees were also transferred to KCC, the head count of which was at 61 as of 5pm yesterday.
Just a couple of days ago, the head count at the two shelters was at 181.
According to DCCA, several families have already moved back to their homes with the tents and other care packages they received from the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Michael Kern, voluntary agency liaison for Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 9 Pacific Area Office, said that Homeland Security and Emergency Management staff recently visited the evacuees and distributed tents.
FEMA and the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter have also interviewed evacuees on their needs and other assistance they require.
As for food, Kinpachi Restaurant prepared a total of 100 food packages yesterday, while Furusato Restaurant also had prepared lunches for distribution to families.
“It is a great thing for the evacuees because they are cooking their food here at the shelter but it is great for them to have ready-cooked meals. The restaurants that have been donating, such as Kinpachi and Furusato, I know for sure it has already been four times that they have given meals,” Sablan said.
