Mission Statement

The mission statement is a concise description of the purpose of the organization. It answers the question: Why does our organization exist?

Displaced People International and its affiliation with various Travelers assistance and Senior Nutrition programs is committed to individuals and families who are in crisis or transition and are disconnected from their support systems. Displaced People International assists those who are in crisis and need help getting home or suddenly find themselves without a home and need to get to a support group.

Vision Statement

The vision statement is an inspirational, compelling answer to the question: What do you hope for your clients?

“So No Senior Goes Hungry In A Disaster.”

Our vision is for travelers at the point of immediate or pressing need to have an easy access to services which are relevant, and solutions which are delivered with dignity.

Values Statement

"We believe that:

• Disaster preparedness provides an opportunity for adults to develop their community and themselves.
• Every person deserves the opportunity to get to their support group with dignity and safety.
• Providing emergency preparedness for all citizens is a responsibility of all citizens."

Integrity: infusing high standards into all DPI efforts.

 Respect: showing thoughtful consideration for all displaced persons.

  Innovation: promoting creativity and flexibility in all aspects of the DPI experience and problem response.

  Service: enhancing personal preparedness stockpiles and disaster education opportunities for all communities.

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Executive Summary

Displaced People International is a registered Florida nonprofit organization that attempts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the elderly along the hurricane prone Gulf Coast.

This organization’s Community and Human service programs are implemented by a well-trained staff and eager volunteers who are ready to provide disaster mitigation and response efforts to those in need.

Displaced People International is devoted to the promotion and sponsorship of non-profit community-based activities, which foster the principles of individual and family preparedness. The emphasis of the organization’s activities will be to aid displaced persons in their time of immediate need.

We have identified the need for providing evacuees or others displaced by manmade or natural disasters with disaster preparedness assistance "72 hour kits" at various evacuee or social service assistance offices they may call upon for aid. Displaced persons generally do not have this necessary resource with them after a crisis, and the need to have personal preparedness available is a necessity both before and after a disaster.

The 72 hour kits will contain 3 days of food and water, as well as a variety of other necessities, including rain ponchos, personal hygiene items, etc. Additionally, 72-hour dialysis kits will be made available to those who have such special needs. These kits will contain the vitamins necessary to sustain a dialysis patient during a period of emergency. These will include renal vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. The food in these kits will be fit to the special diet of a dialysis patient. No medications will be administered.

A second form of assistance offered by the organization will assist evacuees or otherwise displaced individuals in obtaining travel or lodging arrangements. We will provide hotel discounts and vouchers, AT&T phone cards, and Greyhound Bus vouchers.

Displaced People International will develop a strategic partnership with Travelers Aid International, a well established 501c (3) organization. This collaboration will provide benefits to both organizations, Travelers Aid benefits by our contributions and fund raising efforts and DPI benefits from administration and further distribution links utilizing the TAI model. In addition, the organization will accept referrals and supportive efforts from the American Red Cross and other community based organizations

Problem Statement

  It is an unfortunate and sad occurrence, and to most of the public, a little known fact, that when foul weather or a disaster threatens a community, the seniors on most MOW programs do not receive their meals that day, because it is a matter of policy not to put the volunteers in harms way or risk. This means that those unfortunate seniors in an affected area that were dependant on an expected meal would go hungry or depend on personal meager food resources until service can resume. What if you were not able to feed the seniors who depend on you every day? 

The Gulf Coast is no stranger to disaster. In 2005, the country watched as Hurricane Katrina obliterated the Gulf Coast, in particular, the Greater New Orleans area. The damage was so massive that many stranded and displaced people were without necessary provisions in order to survive, and many people grew fatally sick for want of basic sustenance. The most influential disaster mitigating resource that we could have provided as a part of the crisis response should have already been part of many individual’s personal pre-storm preparedness measures as a hand carry emergency survival kit which they could use to survive on for 72 hours while help was organized and implemented.         

Methodology

  DPI is capable of providing the leadership and professional training necessary to develop strategic partnerships in order to provide personal  “72 hour emergency kits” that will ensure that, in times of natural or manmade disasters, Meals on Wheels recipients will not suffer.

   DPI is pursuing an ongoing campaign to raise money to fulfill its vision to aid all national MOWAA Member programs by providing 3 days of emergency food and water to every deserving senior before the next disaster happens. Our organization’s gesture of educating the client in emergency preparedness, and, providing the basic sustenance to survive for 72 hours until help arrives as predicted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a simple and effective way to save lives and end unnecessary misery.

The idea is simple but the project itself is monumental, so DPI’s initial crisis mitigation efforts will focus on the more disaster prone Gulf Coast and then expand its efforts nationally as funding and resources become available. The daily problems and needs of countless seniors are already being vigorously addressed by many different types of meals on wheels programs but none offers a similar program to ours.

              The Administration on Aging estimates that there are as many as 5,000 senior nutrition programs throughout the United States that provide nutritionally balanced meals to those  who do not have anyone to prepare meals for them and who are physically unable to do so themselves. (M.O.W.A.A. 2008)

This means that DPI already has access to an existing professional infrastructure, which is in place and adequately served by knowledgeable volunteers ready to perform the mission of delivering a proven, viable, and cost efficient solution for the problem DPI has identified. This is a win-win solution for all stakeholders involved.

The 72 hour kits require no refrigeration and can stand extreme conditions. Designed by our emergency preparedness experts to be used in any disaster situation from desert survival to hurricane flooding, each emergency food bar can withstand extremes in temperature from -22°F to 149°F &, each is packaged in waterproof foil for maximum shelf life—which is 5 years. (Survivor Industries, 2008)

 No one knows where or when the next disaster will hit, but we can all be prepared for the day when it does.  That is why DPI has come forward as an Emergency Management and Preparedness expert and leader to mitigate a problem before it occurs.

Organizational Description

Displaced People International is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2008. Located in Panama City, FL., the organization seeks to alleviate the suffering of displaced individuals and in particular service the elderly clientele of Meals on Wheels Association of America.

Displaced People International (DPI) is proud to be a self-sponsoring program member of the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA)  which is the oldest and largest organization in the United States representing those who provide meal services to people in need.

• Displaced People International and its affiliation with various Travelers Assistance programs are committed to individuals and families who are in crisis or transition and are disconnected from their support systems. Displaced People International assists those who are in crisis and needed help getting home or suddenly find themselves without a home and need to get to a support group.

·         Displaced People International is devoted to the promotion and sponsorship of non-profit community-based activities, which foster the principles of individual and family preparedness. The emphasis of the organization’s activities will be to aid displaced persons in their time of immediate need.