Hurricane Katrina led cook to new home and new attitude

By Kim Horner / The Dallas Morning News, August 29, 2009

 

Even the "SoupMan" admits his meals for Dallas' homeless were bland.

The most exotic spices he used were salt and pepper. And "blackened" meant he burned the soup again. Then came Eugene Rouzan, a retired electric company worker and former Army cook who felt called to help the homeless. After all, he lost his own house in Hurricane Katrina four years ago this weekend, eventually left New Orleans and now calls Dallas home."Chef Gene," as he's called, took over cooking duties for the SoupMobile, which serves meals on the streets of South Dallas out of a van.

The volunteer soon earned a reputation for turning basics like canned chicken noodle soup into Cajun cuisine, said the nonprofit's founder, David Timothy – also known on the streets as the "SoupMan."

Rouzan is one of countless Gulf Coast residents who rebuilt their lives in North Texas after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005.

As many as 66,000 evacuees stayed in North Texas shelters and motels immediately after the storm. Four years later, no one knows exactly how many remain in the area. There's no way to track them, although experts estimate there are several thousand.

The former Gulf Coast residents are no longer labeled hurricane evacuees: They're Dallas-Fort Worth residents who have blended into the community.

"The good news is, after four years people have assimilated," said Martha Blaine, executive director of the Community Council of Greater Dallas, which tracked evacuees after the storm. "They're all Texans at this point."

Rouzan said he still doesn't feel like a Texan. He gets lost on the roads and doesn't say "y'all." But he plans to stay – and feels fortunate to be here. 'Need to give back'

As Katrina headed through the Gulf of Mexico four years ago, Rouzan stayed behind in New Orleans to work while his family evacuated to Arlington. Although he was safe at his job, Rouzan couldn't get in touch with his family for four days after the storm.

He and his co-workers escaped by helicopter, and Rouzan eventually met his family in Texas. Rouzan, who's married and has two grown children and grandchildren, now lives in Lancaster.

"We thank the Lord that he saved us and brought us through," he said. "The Lord has blessed me in many ways. He put food on my table and I need to give back."

Rouzan gets to the SoupMobile's small Deep Ellum kitchen about 9 a.m. most days and starts spicing up the soup of the day, beans or spaghetti.

You can spot him by his black uniform and hat that's emblazoned with "Chef Gene" in red.

Rouzan, sprinkling cayenne pepper into a huge pot of soup, said he takes satisfaction in knowing that "when we come around, they're gonna get a hearty meal that sticks to their rib."

"Some of these people, they're under bridges and in the woods. They don't get a hot meal often," he added.

Cooking 500 to 600 meals a day hardly fazes Rouzan. He said he learned how to mobilize meals for hundreds under deadline pressure while serving in Vietnam. He said as a U.S. Army cook, he had to take a helicopter into the jungle to feed the troops.

LINING UP FOR FOOD

On a recent morning, volunteers poured Chef Gene's chicken noodle soup into large orange Rubbermaid containers and loaded them in the van. Chef Gene rode along as the SoupMobile headed from the Deep Ellum kitchen to The Dallas International Street Church's parking lot in South Dallas.

The Rocky theme song blared from the van's loudspeaker, the signal that food is on the way, as it approached at least 50 people lined up for food.

Volunteers quickly set up tables and began a serving line. "Come and get it," Timothy said.

With cups in hand, many stood in the parking lot wolfing down the soup.

"It tastes pretty good," said SoupMobile regular Kevin Brown. "It's a good deal, and it helps out a lot."

Renaldo Christian also enjoyed the soup.

"It's real charitable," he said. "You know you're going to get full."

Given the good reviews, Timothy worries what might happen without Chef Gene.

"You'd think that someone with the name the SoupMan would be a good cook. Not so," he said. "Who'd be cooking? Me. We don't want to go there again."Even the "SoupMan" admits his meals for Dallas' homeless were bland.

The most exotic spices he used were salt and pepper. And "blackened" meant he burned the soup again.

Then came Eugene Rouzan, a retired electric company worker and former Army cook who felt called to help the homeless. After all, he lost his own home in Hurricane Katrina four years ago this weekend, eventually left New Orleans and now calls Dallas home.

STAYING IN NORTH TEXAS

Tens of thousands evacuated to North Texas before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005. More came by bus after the storm. No one knows how many remain, but experts estimate at least several thousand have bought homes, found jobs and rebuilt their lives here. They are no longer hurricane evacuees; they are North Texans.


Here are the most recent facts:

34: Hurricane Katrina evacuees are now homeless in Dallas County, according to the last count. 512: evacuee families in Dallas-Fort Worth, who had received temporary housing assistance since the disaster, recently qualified for long-term rental assistance.

66,000: evacuees – 22,600 households – remained in North Texas in May 2006.

SOURCES: Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Community Council of Greater Dallas, Dallas Morning News research