I got this e-mail from MoveOn, a political group I sometimes support. Even if you don't agree with their political position, please read the following--it's guaranteed politics-free, I promise! I wish I could help, but I definitely live more than 300 miles from the affected areas. I'll have to help in other ways...
Quote:
Dear MoveOn member,
Hurricane Katrina's toll on communities, homes and lives has devastated the nation. Now victims must face the daunting question of where to go next—and we can help.
Tens of thousands of newly homeless families are being bused to a stadium in Houston, where they may wait for weeks or months. At least 80,000 are competing for area shelters, and countless more are in motels, cars, or wherever they can stay out of the elements. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross are scrambling to find shelter for the displaced.
This morning, we've launched an emergency national housing drive to connect your empty beds with hurricane victims who desperately need a place to wait out the storm. You can post your offer of housing (a spare room, extra bed, even a decent couch) and search for available housing online at:
Housing is most urgently needed within reasonable driving distance (about 300 miles) of the affected areas in the Southeast, especially New Orleans.
Please forward this message to anyone you know in the region who might be able to help.
But no matter where you live, your housing could still make a world of difference to a person or family in need, so please offer what you can.
The process is simple:
You can sign up to become a host by posting a description of whatever housing you have available, along with contact information. You can change or remove your offer at any time.
Hurricane victims, local and national relief organizations, friends and relatives can search the site for housing. We'll do everything we can to get your offers where they are needed most. Many shelters actually already have Internet access, but folks without 'net access can still make use of the site through case workers and family members.
Hurricane victims or relief agencies will contact hosts and together decide if it's a good match and make the necessary travel arrangements. The host's address is not released until a particular match is agreed on.
If hosting doesn't work for you, please consider donating to the Red Cross to help with the enormous tasks of rescue and recovery. You can give online at:
...we share a core belief that we are all in this together, and today is an important chance to put that idea to work. There are thousands of families who have just lost everything and need a place to stay dry. Let's do what we can to help.
I am several states away in CA...but I called the red cross and hope they can use my help in New Orleans or Mississippi.
I got this through an email today and it really touched me. It takes quite awhile to download but it is very worth it.
I don't have any empty beds in our house but our city did open a shelter for 200 in the neighborhood recreation center. And Dallas has taken over 8,000 evacuees. Everyone is doing what they can. There are lots of collections going on. My company is even matching dollars on contributions.
I also just wanted to chime in that the Humane Society and ASPCA could probably really use some donations. Now that they have most of the human people out, they are trying to get the fur people out too, and there are so many of them. Our shelter is sending people down there with food and medical supplies to help out so I bought a few bags of cat and dog food and am going to drop them off at the shelter today. It's the least I could do since a few days ago I was turned down from giving blood due to low blood pressure. Weird cause I've always had very low blood pressure but have given blood with no problems before. They were like, "No way". So I guess I'll have to help out in other ways.
I'm not trying to take the focus off of the many humans who still need help but maybe we can find a little more in our hearts to help our best friends too?
Thanks for the reminder, Pearshape. I saw pics of furries and CNN this morning. Of course, humans are much more important but I hope the SPCA can help some of the poor beasts too.
Hey gals,
There are quite a few families staying in our area right now. I met one of them last night. They were from Hattiesburg, MS. They decided to come here because their 10 yo son loves our local all star baseball team! he had seen them in a dixie youth world series brochure. So they headed here! They have a home still, but it's not safe to stay there right now.
Talking with the mom for a while, she was still quite shaken, she actually broke down crying several times. I just tried to comfort her as best I could, but how can you. She said that they had to leave quite a bit of their family down there. My heart goes out to them.
There is also an extended family (7 families in all) staying at a "resort" we have here that's used for youth retreats and stuff like that. They lived in New Orleans and have nothing left. Our church took up a special offering yesterday and is also gathering up clothes and stuff...some teens from our youth group went there last night to hang out with the teens in the families...they played games with them and just tried to be normal teens. There are also families staying in the hotels around here.
Gas has run out in most of the stations around us, but no one is freaking out...I think that the trucks are supposed to run tomorrow or sometime soon. There was an article in todays paper showing a couple riding their horses to work, there happened to be a fenced grassy field behind their business! they said that it was a cheaper means of transportation right now!
Everywhere I turn there are site for donations! People are being very generous.
I feel sooo blessed that my family is safe and that I have everything I need right here with in arms reach!
I hope those who are opening up there homes think about the long term ramifications of having strangers living with them. Not that i am saying this is not a kind thing to do.
It is great to see our country being so generous but feel good emotions can wane as weeks turn into months. I would love to see our government start placing people into mobile homes until they could return home.
True but sometimes compassion has to overcome conservatism. I wish I was closer and could offer up my spare room. During the Ice Storm. I took in strangers and have never looked back.
I wish I had room for someone, but I have a tiny one bedroom house. It's so small that Lola and I literally trip over each other all the time. Well, I trip over her
I read in the news yesterday, that the government has chartered 3 cruise ships from Carnival cruise lines, to house 7,000 people (total) for six months.
I put the MoveOn message into an email and sent it to all on my list who have or may have friends/family in the area. Just to keep the message going.
I was glad to read the Cdn govt is sending ships with supplies requested by the US govt, such as medical supplies & drugs, diapers & wipes, rebuilding equipment, and people for hydro and telephone lines.
Suzanne, that's great news! It's always so good to know that we are working together to help each other.
Flip, I understand what you mean, but I think in times like this, we have to believe that good will come of our generosity. You might develop a wonderful relationship with the people you house.
We have the room, but we are so far away! My SIL lives in Green Bay, WI, and knows someone who had family in the area hit by Katrina. Another mutual friend owns a Lear Jet (because sometimes...you have a private jet! ). The friend filled the jet with donated food and clothes, flew down there and delivered it and picked up her friend's family. They are all staying in Green Bay for now. I think that's amazing!
Pear, thanks for mentioning our furry/feathered/scaly friends...in the craziness of such a disaster, they can often be overlooked. Though I understand that most of us focus on humans for a very good reason, sometimes I think that those who can't speak for themselves...the very young, very old, and animals, are the ones that need our help the most. I know I'm not the only one here who considers my pets to be as much a part of my family as my husband is. It would be devastating to lose them. I hope that many of the people who were evacuated will be reunited with their pets!
The organization that I work for, United Way, is leading the way for LONG TERM recovery efforts and relocation of those affected by Katrina. They are teaming up with PayPal as well (just go to PayPal's website or www.unitedway.org) for donations (and PayPal is NOT charging a fee!).
I've been in Katrina-land so I have not been on in a while, in case anyone was wondering (Hi Heidi!)...
Its pretty amazing how everyone is being affected by this. The school I teach at here in St. Louis is going to get students that are here while they rebuild, I am nervous and excited about them coming into may classroom, also my fabulous 7th graders are collecting money to donate, just because, no tangible reward needed!
Housing for Katrina Victims?
I wish I could help, but I definitely live more than 300 miles from the affected areas. I'll have to help in other ways...
I know money is helpful, but it's nice to be able to do something tangible.
It's always so good to know that we are working together to help each other. 
). The friend filled the jet with donated food and clothes, flew down there and delivered it and picked up her friend's family. They are all staying in Green Bay for now. 
I think that's amazing!
I hope that many of the people who were evacuated will be reunited with their pets!
