Dr. Rizutto Leads Rebuilding Project

Dr. Tracey Rizzuto and colleagues are helping those in the hardest hit storm affected areas to rebuild the local business communities, through a group composed of leadership and members of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology and the Society of Consulting
Psychology, two Divisions of the American Psychological Association.

The effort began recently as the Harvey Organizational Psychology Effort or HOPE, Dr. Rizzuto told the Times. However, the project quickly evolved into an effort between the two Divisions of APA, to be called the Catastrophe Aid and Rebuilding Effort, or CARE.

The group “… is now positioned to respond to a broader range of disaster events,” said Rizzuto, Associate Director, School of Leadership and Human Resource Development, at the LSU College of Human Science & Education.

The interdivisional APA taskforce is working to provide pro bono business recovery services to those in the stormaffected areas, explained Rizzuto. The growing taskforce has over 30
volunteers at present and is working to link with regional leaders in the hardest-hit areas, she said.

The original group, HOPE, started working to connect to local Industrial-Organizational psychologists in the Texas and Louisiana area, to local government administrations, and to
identify businesses in need of services, she explained.

“We’re reaching out to our professional base to inquire about needs for assistance,” such as  housing/food donations, replacing books, assist with academic lectures if possible,” said
Rizzuto.

The current project is modeled after Rizzuto’s work on the Katrina Aid and Relief Effort,” called KARE, Rizzuto said. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the leadership of the Society of
Industrial-Organization (SIOP) called on its membership to deliver needed resources to people and businesses affected by the storm. “The Katrina Aid and Relief Effort (KARE) became SIOP’s
first outreach taskforce designed to deliver pro bono business consulting services with the goal of aiding disaster recovery,” explained Rizzuto.

Along those same lines, the current effort will likely help with a host of services including emotional management, hiring/selection tools, training programs, recruitment, etc.

According to a report in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, KARE provided assistance in managing stress and adversity, change, motivation, and healing from the disaster. Also some of
those served voiced interest in hiring, leadership, training, team management and general business issues.

KARE received commendations from the Louisiana State Senate, the American Society of Association Executives, and the Center for Association Leadership for the work.

Dr. Rizzuto and her team are welcoming voluteers. CARE group volunteers will be placed in complementary teams composed of individuals with a wide range of experience and expertise. Dr. Rizzuto explained that volunteers will work alongside colleagues. “You will not be alone,” she said. The group meets every Wednesday on Zoom.

For those interested in volunteering, the site for the Castastrophe Aid and Rebuilding Effort (CARE) site is: https://www.facebook.com/CARECatastropheAidandRebuildingEffort

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