What is your city doing for the victims of Katrina?

With all the news and photos of the destruction and deaths caused by Katrina, I thought it would be really nice to have a thread also of good things coming about because of this devastating hurricane. As I was just out in the yard trying to do something constructive and trying to rid myself of so much bottled up sadness and frustration, I was listening to the radio.

Four local radio stations teamed up with local tv station and they are taking up collections of anything you are willing to offer. They have taken in over $20, ooo, nearly filled a semi trailer and are calling for two more as the donations are overwhelming. They are asking for people to come help. The line of cars from people dropping off stuff is really, really long. A local hotel chain just donation hundreds of queen sized comforters, a local gym donated cases of water, companies are sending over people with envelopes stuffed with money from office donations, people are donating clothes, cat food, baby items, sanitation items-including bleach and hand soap, anything you can think of needing! Not only that, you can make a minimum $50 donation to have any song you want, played on the radio and people are paying more than four times that!

I know there are huge organizations doing so much more and locally the donations will barely make a dent, but as a whole, we can move the world! Have you heard any good news? Have you heard about anything that has lightened your heart even a bit? I think it would be nice to share these stories.

All of our radio stations have drives set up accepting canned foods, toothbrushes, water, and money. The tv station is in on it and so are many businesses. It's just amazing!

Our city is also housing a lot of the refugess from LA and MS. The churches have set up shelters and we literally have 100's of families staying here at these shelters. Our motels are booked solid! One lady has taken in 25 people into her home until they can return to their homes or rebuild. And I'm thinking of adopting a family or two myself.

Our local Dollar General is doing a bottled water drive. When you check out, you can add a gallon of water to your bill for a buck, and they are going to truck it off to help the victims. They're asking that everyone donate just one dollar. There are 60,000 people in my town. Imagine if everyone donated just a $1. That's 60,000 gallons of water.

It's just so incredible. I cry just thinking about all these people who are now homeless, without jobs, unsure where all their family and friends are. I put myself in their shoes and I would be totally lost and depressed if I lost my home, my things, my routine, my security. So I might just let someone have some respite here, with a bit of normality (is that a word?) to their lives during one of the worst periods of their lives.

NancyAnn

One firehouse here has sent a crew to Ms to help in the rescue. That crew said they couldn't get a warm meal. The local firemen were just trying to put togeather a good Bar-B-Que for them. They had SIX SEMI-TRUCKS last I heard and were considering loading 2 more.
Red Cross has put a shelter at a local church and another TV station is loading a couple of Semi's with ready to eat non parishable snacks and drinks.
I think I heard Budwieser is bottling water instead of beer.
sidney

My company is sending money (from employees & company) to our divisions in that area that were affected. According to my HR department there are still 17 employees that are unaccounted for.

I wrote a check - rather large considering how much is in my account right now! Hey, but I have a house/food/running water and my family. I would take them over the $$ any day.

Nicole

Absolutely excellent!! I just felt like some of us could use a happy thread. Thank you for sharing.

Same thing here - lots of drives for goods and groceries and money. DH and I are giving to Red Cross.

One thing about us American's that ALWAYS prevails....we as a majority always rally round those that need us! Makes you kind of proud.

On a smaller scale, our church has "adopted" a nearby motel that is full of evacuees. People are donating money so the people's stay there is free. We're putting together care packages of laundry detergent, rolls of quarters, bottled water, calling cards, snacks, coloring books, crayons, small toys, gift cards to local restaurants and stores, etc, and maps from the hotel to the laundramat, library, and other places around. There are thousands of churches in Houston, and I'm sure most of them are doing things like this.

~ Marylyn

That's a great idea! After watching the news I want to drive there and get a family and bring them home to live with me. It is so sad to think of the children down there hungry. I can't stand it.

Nicole

This pretty cool! My company just put out a voice mail that for the entire month of September if you give $10 each Friday you can wear jeans.

900 employees X $50 (5 Fridays) = $45,000!!! Let's hope everyone gets on board!!!

Nicole

The social worker for our local Salvation Army told me today that next week a bus load of refugees will be coming into our mid MO town for at least temporary relocation. There is a local plant that needs 100 workers for the Christmas rush but can't find enough workers locally!! I hear the pay is about $10 hr. for those jobs. I wonder how many of the refugees would be willing to take those temp. jobs or will they, like so many locals, decide to live on welfare instead.

One of the largest furniture retailers "matress mac" is allowing New Orleans residents stay at his store, for free - specially set up tents.

25000 refugee being bused to the Astro dome.

My company, Continental Airlines flew in a relief mission ( supplies) yesterday to the airport, and carried out for free people who were stuck in the airport. There were about 41 left.-
-CO donates 1,000 tickets to help hurricane victims-
-CO has instituted special fares for residents of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi who have immediate travel needs. For these travelers, CO is waiving the advance purchase requirement for any fare to any destination, for travel originating through Monday, Sept. 5.

-CO also has relaxed certain ticket rules applicable to nonrefundable and nonchangeable tickets to/from airports that were affected by Katrina, including New Orleans (MSY) and Baton Rouge (BTR), La.; Gulfport (GPT) and Jackson (JAN), Miss.; and Mobile

AIG in Houston donated 1 million dollars (my roomate works for AIG Insurance)

This message was edited Sep 1, 2005 5:56 PM

Other countries to our aid. see below. Thanks Judy, I feel better now.

This message was edited Sep 1, 2005 5:28 PM

From a post by Judycooksey:

Thanks Marylyn. That's what I'm talking about... glad to read that!
Rj

This message was edited Sep 1, 2005 5:30 PM

Not only have we pulled together as cities and states, but as a country, as many countries and as a nation. I believe that is how it should be.

While my town in California is a somewhat silly and superficial place adultwise...lol, our school children, who are not, are going door to door collecting for the Red Cross. Pam and my other towns (Mexico City and Uyamon, Campeche) have already shipped, trucked, or sent by airline blankets and other necessities. There are full tankers from Venezuela awaiting permission to land at gulf oil terminals, and all of Latin and South America are mobilizing every bit of their limited assets for assistance. Isn't it always true about those who have the least seem to give seem to give the most?

Sending Blankets in 90º plus HEAT??

The shelters and etc are air conditioned, so yes, they will need blankets.

I imagine evenings could still be cool, they could be stacked to lay on and maybe used to wrap up in? Best I remember, airline blankets are not all that warm. I bet they would even fend off a skeeter or two. :)

Local humane society collecting $$ to help animals, so that folks can come back to the 4 foot family members.
National guard, Red Cross, fire dept. sending crews down; many local organizations are getting together to be part of the state effort called for by Gov. Doyle.
Getting my stuff together.
Haven't been able to reach garden folk from Lily Auction to see if they are OK (gardenofpeace) :(

Lilypon, I personally thank you for posting what your government is prepared to do!

This is all so good to read, thank you for starting this thread Chele.
My university (Texas Tech) is organizing a campus garage sale of donated things (since college students are generally broke but have lots of stuff) and donating the proceeds to the Red Cross.
I think its really neat what everyone in all different parts of the world are doing.

Our little Texas town is putting together many non-perishable items, foods, clothes, and lots and lots more things that can be handed over to the American Red Cross for the victims. I found this very interesting.........many Texas prison inmates have sent 100s of dollars to help the refugees. One inmate alone sent $500.00 of his own money.

Happy to Darius.....It's nice to post some positive news.

With this horrendous event the whole world is going to be putting out a helping hand.

I read in the National Post, after posting the above, just about all the provinces (and many cities) individually have also offered help....including British Columbia's Disaster Team that has been trained to find victims of a tsunami. One hundred members of our Red Cross will be leaving immediately.

edited to say HMS Halifax started to load supplies aboard before Katrina even arrived......so they'd be ready if needed.

This message was edited Sep 1, 2005 10:43 PM

City of Houston taking in 50,000 people. 25,000 in the astrodome and 25,000 in area shelters.

My husbands place of work gave jobs to 3 guys.

Praise God!!!

Blessings,
Sandy ^8^

sorry goofed.. . next post...

This message was edited Sep 2, 2005 3:08 AM

Tulsa has organ. here has apts for families to come 60.. the schools taking them.. trucks- semi loads 5 or more of everything went on its way and money collections. still collecting..personal hygine products, cleaning products, clothes, foods, water, hundreds things.. new.. ect., ect. the red cross has posted have collected 71. 6 million..thats national amount.. hoping that the violence will stop murders reported and rapes.. praying for protection need to do that to..

This message was edited Sep 2, 2005 3:10 AM

I think it really says something in a time like this, that there are people thinking of all the critters. I AM happy I started this thread because I really needed to see good news too. I probably have neighbors who think I am nuts for attempting to work in the yard while bawling. I am sure there are a few that think it's not a big deal because it's not here. No matter where it happened, it would still break my heart. It means something to me, when you hear the reporters crying over the people in need and astonished by the generosity. It is going to be such a long time before life gets back to normal, if it ever does, for the victims.

How sweet. You gotta love kids!

Nicole

I have no idea what my small town of 300 is doing. We only have a weekly newspaper that comes out Wednesdays.

A local church in my town opened up their airport campus site to house victims through the Red Cross.
TV & Radio stations are setting up trucks in major locations to gather supplies.

What really impresses me, is my employer. We're a global company, with two sites in the southern LA area. We're donating $3 million ($2 mil now, $1 mil later), supplies, and support. We're also offering employees in the area free healthcare (no copay, no deductibles) for their whole families, as well as moderate size interest-free temporary loans until FEMA & insurance support arrives.
A lot of my co-workers have always told me " This company only cares about product , and profit", but now I'm seeing we not only care about people, we actually live it ..

Wow! GOOD for your company, Angelsong. : )

(and the local church.)

Yes - thanks for the thread. Few items I heard - the University of Nebraska is offering instate tuition assistance to affected college students. Smart Chicken is going to donate 4000 chickens. National Guard sent down several plane loads of MRE's. Both Omaha and Lincoln sent down search and rescue units.

I just talked with the Red Cross. Someone is bussing about 2000 hurricane victims from LA and MS to my town. Three churches are set up as Red Cross refugee camps. A big commercial building here is being set up as a "check in" center where refugees can get their Medicaid, Social Security, and Unemployment started. They will also be given medical attention and a checkup as well as being quarrantined for 2 weeks to prevent the spread of any diseases they may have contracted due to contaminated water or whatever. They'll stay in shelters during that time.

Then they can be allowed to search for work, and some of the places here are getting ready to hire Xmas help, so that might be an option for them.

And some of us are opening our homes to families and their pets. I've asked to be put on the "adoption" list and said I would allow families with pets. If I can clear out my "ebay" room, I'll have two rooms for two families.

I've been told that some of the families either don't want to or can't afford to return and rebuild, so they plan to settle right here. I hope some of them are gardeners! LOL

I may do some volunteer work at the shelters, helping get them set up. There's one right down the street from me and the check in center is also just 2 miles away.

I was able to get in touch with a friend in LA today. She just got her phone back on, but no electricity. They sustained only minor damage and no injuries. They are all safe and still working. That was some good news.

NancyAnn

NancyAnn, and all who may volunteer... what a great gift you give!

BUT, be sure all YOUR shots are up to date too.

"That's a great idea! After watching the news I want to drive there and get a family and bring them home to live with me. It is so sad to think of the children down there hungry. I can't stand it.
Nicole"

I feel the same way Nicole! I've posted here on DG and at http://www.hurricanehousing.org/ Offering housing to the homeless. I cry every day watching the news. Even hubby was crying last night when they were talking about babies dying and showing all the babies/kids going hungry and thirsty.

Here locally they are filling semis with water/food/necessities, these drives are being advertised by all the radio and tv stations. One trucking company is doing it's own drive to fill trucks and will drive them down. My state has had enough floods to know exactly what's needed. The 2 local power company's have sent workers to help restore power. The children are doing change drives at school to donate to the Red Cross. I'm sure I'm missing some.

Thanks Chele for this 'feel good' thread! I needed it :~)

Lana

This is what Arkansas is doing. About 4000 are to be sent to Fort Chaffee which is only a few miles from Fort Smith, about 15 minutes from me. A total of about 20,000 are expected to be spread throughout Arkansas.

http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=3799921

2000 or? bringing evacuees to camp Gruber.. for a oklahoma welcome they say, others in Tulsa..more supplies going to..all ready have some at one of the Church's of Christ..more being done every day..