Mary’s Story The day of Hurricane Katrina, trees were down and the power was out. Mary Troupe, Executive Director of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, had long been concerned about the lack of emergency preparedness on the state’s part, particularly when it came to the needs of people with disabilities—people like herself.
Troupe first became involved with the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities as a volunteer, back when her kids were first leaving home. She eventually became a board member, then the board president, and finally stepped in to become the organization’s executive director. Founded in 1989, the Coalition is a disability rights organization comprised of Mississippians with disabilities, their families, and organizations that advocate for people with disabilities. The group’s mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life for children, adolescents and adults with disabilities, as well as their families, and to empower them to reach their full potential in every aspect of their lives.
After the storm had passed, Troupe called her staff of 5 together, ascertained that everyone was ok, and then sent them out to the shelters to do some reconnaissance. What they found was that Jackson’s population had doubled in 24 hours, able bodied and disabled alike. And Troupe’s initial hunch had been correct: the State of Mississippi was woefully unprepared to deal with the special needs of its disabled population.
Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities: Intervening after the storm Coalition staff, led by outreach coordinator, Clyde Monroe, who is legally blind, realized immediately that the shelters were not equipped for people with disabilities. In fact, there were no shelters at all for people with special needs, and they were being turned away from regular shelters “for safety purposes.” Many people were forced to evacuate with their families, yet no shelter had been set up that could accommodate someone with a disability and their family. So the First Baptist Church of Jackson became a special needs shelter. Troupe says, “They housed nearly 60 people with significant health challenges and they were wonderful.”
