Taking care of approximately 1,700 Gustav evacuees for the past several days left a few local nonprofits feeling the strain.

Most evacuees went home Wednesday, leaving several area organizations to tally the final cost of providing shelter and food to so many and shuffling to find the resources they require to continue their daily missions.

The Red Cross oversaw 20 area shelters providing cots, blankets and food.

Buzz Barron, local Red Cross executive director, estimates the organization spent about $25,000 taking care of evacuees.

“That’s half o...

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