P.E.S.T. Relief International helps children’s home

The P.E.S.T. Relief team outside the Taunton Family Children’s Home in Wewahitchka, Fla. PHOTO: P.E.S.T. RELIEF INTERNATIONAL

P.E.S.T. Relief International traveled to the Taunton Family Children’s Home in Wewahitchka, Fla., to provide disaster relief.

The Taunton Family Children’s Home was located directly in the path of Hurricane Michael, which made landfall Oct. 10, 2018. The child care agency incurred damages that included more than 200 fallen trees and a flooded bunkhouse, which destroyed 12 mattresses.

In early December, P.E.S.T. Relief International brought food, supplies and chainsaws to help clear storm debris. On the way, the team picked up 12 new mattresses that were donated by Ashley Furniture’s Hope to Dream Program.

During the visit, the charity provided 179 meals, distributed blankets and Buddy Bags, painted fingernails and toes, played basketball, and handed out 26 Bibles with personal inscriptions for each child.

Founder Andrea Hancock reads to a resident of the children’s home. PHOTO: P.E.S.T. RELIEF INTERNATIONAL

The destroyed mattresses were replaced with the new ones, and all beds received new sheets, bedding, and mattress encasements to provide a safe and sanitary place to sleep. The chainsaw crew was able to remove 50 of the remaining trees.

“This experience not only impacted the residents of The Taunton Family Children’s Home,” P.E.S.T. Relief International said in a press release, “but also the volunteers who dedicated their time and resources to bring comfort and relief.”

P.E.S.T. Relief International is a charity through which pest management professionals help provide safe shelter, clean bedding, and other services to underserved communities. Andrea Hancock founded the organization. She is also vice president of industry supplier Mattress Safe Inc.