Before the earthquake, Haiti faced an unemployment rate of over 70%. Any long-term improvement in the plight of the Haitian people must address this problem.

The Morrell Foundation has dispatched a team to Haiti to scout out the Haitian need. More news is forthcoming… stay tuned.

Waveland, MS, October 11, 2005: Within 72 hours after Hurricane Katrina struck, the international Utah-based, charitable Morrell Foundation’s iCare Quick Response Team visited the region and assessed how they could best serve the myriad victims of one of America’s worst natural disasters. As a result, Morrell Foundation President Merrill Osmond, of the famed Osmond Family, is proud to announce that the first iCare Village complex, to provide housing and relief following devastation from Katrina and Rita, will officially open, ahead of schedule, tomorrow Wednesday, October 12th in Buccaneer State Park in the town of Waveland in Hancock County, Mississippi.

“It will begin housing volunteer workers immediately, and later expand to offer temporary accommodations for 1,000 people, including the elderly and single parent families,” Merrill Osmond said. “Governor Haley Barbour will be on hand Wednesday to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially launch the facility.

As envisioned by the Morrell Foundation Chairman of the Board Phillip Morrell, the guiding mission of Project iCare and its iCare Village concept is to provide a 24/7 network of ground level organizational and infrastructure field support in emergency situations. Working within the scope of governmental involvement, and with the cooperation of the private and non-profit sectors, iCare steps in when housing and other essential services are required following a disaster, domestically or abroad. In 2003-2004, iCare rebuilt more than a dozen schools in Iraq.

Built on land donated by the State of Mississippi, iCare’s inaugural village’s 10,000 square foot base unit came together remarkably fast, with the main structure erected in just three days. On top of providing accommodations for 300 volunteers and hundreds more evacuees, iCare’s grounds will also maintain a medical clinic and dining and laundry facilities. Overall, the Village will be a central base from which critical attention and a support network can be given to hurricane-displaced persons.

Morrell Foundation Chairman of the Board Phillip Morrell first viewed the ravaged area in early September with Mississippi’s First Lady Marsha Barbour, who recently paid a visit to workers at the iCare site. Morrell commented, “Her continuing support has been an inspiration. The FEMA plan needs thousands of volunteers but does not provide any housing for them. The Governor and Marsha understood this from the first day, and together we are building housing that will be here as long as it is needed.”

Morrell Foundation President Merrill Osmond, of the famed Osmond Family entertainment dynasty, is also a principle behind the Branson Cares Telethon, the 3-hour, Sept. 18 televised event featuring Osmond and over 40 stars in Branson, MO raising funds for Katrina relief. Now, the Morrell Foundation, and other charitable groups are transforming the telethon into a one-hour TV special—to be broadcast in markets nationwide around Thanksgiving—focusing on both the devastation and the positive, post-Katrina rebuilding process.

WAVELAND, MISSISSIPPI, October 11, 2005 – The first Project iCare Village built by the Morrell Foundation and many volunteers will celebrate its opening with a ceremonial ribbon cutting tomorrow, October 12. Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour and his wife, Marsha Barbour will speak, along with the Morrell Foundation founder Phil Morrell. The ceremony will begin at 10 am, and will include two live bands, food and refreshments. The public is invited and encouraged to celebrate this uplifting event.

The iCare village’s 10,000 square foot structure went up in just three days, and the internal structure is being completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers from all over the country. iCare Village is at Buccaneer State Park, located on the coast of Waveland, Mississippi. The building has dorm style bedrooms and 15 bathrooms including showers, air condition, electric outlets and water heaters.
Some volunteers include firefighters from the San Francisco Fire Department, employees of Georgia Pacific and the local members of the Baptist community church in Choctaw County, Alabama.

“Governor Barbour asked us to build here (Buccaneer Park), and I think it was an inspired choice. The area is totally devastated for miles in every direction and iCare Village is the first major structure to go up, and so many of the local people have told us that it has given them a feeling of hope” said Phil Morrell. “We hope to be able to house as many as 1000 volunteers at this sight, and that would have a major impact on the recovery of the area,” he said.

The construction of iCare Village, soon to be home to more than 300 Katrina relief volunteer workers, is ahead of scheduled according to Phil Morrell, head of the Morrell Foundation and its Project iCare. As a result, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour will be at iCare Village in Hancock Co on Wednesday October 12 to cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the facility. The primary 10,000 sq.ft. structure went up in just three days, and last weekend fifty volunteers from Choctow County, Alabama joined the effort During the past week, two dozen volunteers from the San Francisco Fire Department have put in the plumbing and expanded the internal structure of the main building. Fifteen bathrooms are now in place, and the location should have water and power within days.

The location of iCare Village is in Buccaneer State Park in Hancock County, Mississippi. The park and the surrounding neighborhoods were directly in the path of eye of Hurricane Katrina. “Governor Barbour asked us to build here, and I think it was an inspired choice. The area is totally devastated for miles in every direction. iCare Village is the first major structure to go up, and so many of the local people have told us that it has given them a feeling of hope” said Mr. Morrell. “We hope to be able to house as many as 1000 volunteers at this sight, and that would have a major impact on the recovery of the area.”

The Morrell Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing and employment to the victims of catastrophic events.

WAVELAND, MISSISSIPPI, October 5, 2005 –Marsha Barbour, wife of Mississippi’s Governor Haley Barbour, surprised iCare Village volunteers with a personal visit today.
The iCare village is being built by The Morrell Foundation at Buccaneer State Park on land donated by the state of Mississippi. The village was built to house volunteers from around the country that want to come to Waveland and provide hurricane relief.

“Marsha Barbour first showed me Buccaneer State Park from the air about three weeks ago, and her continuing support for our efforts here has been an inspiration,” said Founder and Chairman of the Board, Phil Morrell. “The FEMA plan calls for thousands of volunteers but does not provide any housing for them. The Governor and his wife understood this dilemma from the beginning, and together we are building housing that will be here as long as it is needed,” he said.

Marsha Barbour has helped locate beds, a dozen washers and dryers and numerous other resources for the foundation. iCare Village will now provide the first laundry facilities to the residents of Waveland since the hurricane and expects to start housing volunteers in the upcoming week.