More than 3 million people have benefited in some manner from the Lions' efforts through the emergency and evacuee assistance grants, screening services, grants to fund Lions' programs, in kind donations and twinning opportunities.

Alabama: Bayou La Batre is a small fishing community in Southwest Alabama with a population of around 10,000, most of whom lost their livelihood as well as their homes during Katrina. On May 11, 2007, using $4,000 from LCIF, the Bayou Lions Club of District 34-N screened more than 325 individuals for vision problems and fitted 107 with glasses. With 450 people on the waiting list, the Lions plan to hold more screenings in June and July of 2007.

Louisiana: In April 2007 District 8-N used $1,000 in relief funding to equip the local Head Start facility with office equipment to return to normal functioning. The Head Start program serves the entire Livingston parish and is the only such program in the area.

In January 2006 MD-8 provided winter coats to more than 400 school children whose homes were flooded during Katrina. With $8,000 from LCIF and the support of Burlington Coat Factory, needy children in the Kenner school district were provided with warm jackets.

Mississippi: In District 30-N, $50,000 in disaster relief from LCIF built one of the only parks on the Gulf Coast designed for people with disabilities. The Biloxi Lions Club fundraised an additional $25,000 and dedicated the park on October 28, 2006. The park, which was built on grounds donated by the City of Biloxi, is also home to the Lions Sea and Sun Camp, serving blind and visually impaired children.

In January 2007 MD-30 used $10,698 from LCIF, together with funding from the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency to purchase a generator for the Mississippi Lions Eye Bank, powering their vital refrigeration systems.

Club Twinning
Club-twinning opportunities were a vital part of local relief efforts, as affected states received thousands of dollars of in-kind donations and funding from Lions clubs across the country. Hundreds, if not thousands, of clubs collected and transported goods, provided services for evacuees, raised funds and even traveled to the Gulf Coast to lend a hand.
Here are just a few examples:

• A 14-person Lions Disaster team from Nevada and California loaded trucks and motor homes with food, clothing and supplies, drove to Mississippi and established a central command post at the Gulfport Lions Deaf Center. Quickly realizing that families in need had no way to come to them, Lions in four-person teams traveled into rural areas to deliver supplies and assist with debris removal. Grateful recipients said the Lions were the first relief personnel they had seen.
• The Alabama Lions dispatched one of their eye vans to the coast to provide screenings and eyeglass recycling for hurricane victims. A second eye van served the needs of displaced people in shelters in the middle of the state.
• Leos of District 25-B in Indiana helped hurricane victims in a number of ways. President Justin Stech of the West Noble Leos delivered supplies and a check to Slidell, La. The Prairie Heights Pride Club sent batteries, water and food to Mississippi. The Albion Junior High Leos prepared 120 tote bags of personal care supplies, and the DeKalb Classic Leos sent a truck of supplies to New Orleans.
• Mattituck Lions Club in New York donated $20,000 to LCIF for Katrina relief. The club raises most of its funds from a strawberry festival and a fall carnival. Altogether, Lions in District 20-S raised nearly $50,000 for LCIF's Katrina relief and sent four truckloads of supplies to Lions in the Gulf Coast.