Camp Coastal Outpost is commited to complete construction of 150 new homes in Mississippi by summer 2007.

The homes are designed by Mike Sweeney - director of Camp Coasta. Each house meets (and exceeds) area building codes. They are full size quality structures built for hurricane victims who lost their homes to Katrina. We are inviting volunteers to come and help in this exciting project. We need skilled and willing volunteers to assist in all phases of construction.

Meet the 2 families that we want to help... 

 Dennis & Ivy Watson

Dennis and Ivy Watson share a home with their 2 young children, Leahlah (10) and Alan (8), their oldest daughter Sharice, her two-year old son, Chance, and Ivy's father, who is disabled and not in good health. 

In anticipation of the storm, the Watson family evacuated  to the Stennis Space Center (NASA) where they stayed for 2 weeks before moving to another shelter in Poplarville, MS, 55 miles away.   After spending 3 weeks at the Poplarville shelter they were able to secure temporary housing.  The Watson's commute back and forth to Pearlington almost on a daily basis.  Both have been very active in working at the The First Missionary Baptist Church in Pearlington cooking and feeding the 100s of volunteers that come to work in Pearlington.  Their average commute is about 350 miles per week which is, in itself, financially draining. 

Dennis does furniture upholstery by trade while Ivy stocks shelves in the local Wal-Mart at night.  Ivy's health has been failing over the last several months necessitating surgery.  While she has returned to work she is unsure how much longer she will be able to continue.  As for Dennis, upholstery jobs have been hard to come by since the storm.  He has depleted his savings and is currently living from hand to mouth.  Lack of work, ill health (both Ivy's and her disabled father's) and commuting expenses have created a significant financial strain on the family.  

With the 2 yr anniversary around the corner, all they want to do is return to their home.

Joseph Keys

Joseph Keys is a very active member of the Pearlington Community.  He has always had a special place in his heart for the elderly and mentaly disabled.  When he is not working at a facility that houses mentally challenged juveniles that have committed crimes, he working on a project to rebuild the old Charles B. Murphy Elementary School which was destroyed by the storm.  Since they will not be reopening the building as a school, they are trying to convert it to a community center.  The center will provide day care for seniors and an after school program for children.

Prior to the storm Joseph housed special needs individuals in his home on a short term basis whenever a primary caregiver needed a break or someone to care for their loved one when they were unable to.  Since his home was destoyed by Katrina, and he is living in a very small transitional house, he no longer has the means to provide this much needed service.  He barely makes enough to get by.  He wants to rebuild his home so that he can continue working with the special need residents of Pearlington.