Lando 
Posted on 08/30/2005 10:15:25 AM PDT by WestTexasWend
Edited on 09/02/2005 12:00:06 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
American Red Cross: PO Box 37243, Washington, DC, 20013, or online at www.redcross.org.
Salvation Army: Online at www.salvationarmyusa.org.
HOUSTON - Even before hurricane Katrina made landfall Monday, a massive relief brigade - one that officials hoped would be an equal match for a huge Category 4 storm - was being deployed to help residents along Louisiana's low-lying coast.
Among them: The Red Cross called upon some 5,000 volunteers, including some who drove in from Washington State. Members of Fark.com, an online discussion board, offered to host fellow forum participants who were fleeing Katrina. And FEMA, the federal disaster-response agency, moved its search-and-rescue teams - as well as stockpiles of ice, water, and food - as close as safety would permit.
The outpouring of aid, possibly the largest the US has ever seen to cope with a domestic natural disaster, stems from Katrina's imposing size as well as its destination so near the major population center of New Orleans.
Such early deployment of relief is unusual in disaster-aid work. But damage projections had been so severe - and New Orleans deemed so vulnerable in its dependence on a network of levees, canals, and pumps to keep dry - that President Bush on Saturday went ahead and declared an emergency in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to mobilize ahead of the storm.
Forecasters, scientists, and government officials have long worried that a hurricane could swamp the Big Easy, parts of which are 10 feet below sea level, and cause months of misery. As a result, relief agencies - public and private - moved with urgency once Katrina, which led to nine fatalities when it hit Florida Thursday as a much weaker storm, turned toward Louisiana.
"This storm is so large ... that it's like all the storms from last year rolled together and probably [those were] still not as bad," says Margaret O'Brien-Molina, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross in its southwest region. "So our coordinated efforts have to be huge."
Last year, the Red Cross mobilized 7,000 volunteers total to handle the aftermath from four major hurricanes. For Katrina alone, it is working on sending upwards of 5,000. Staging areas set up at both Houston airports allowed arriving volunteers to get off their planes and onto the road as quickly as possible.
Red Cross emergency response vehicles, or ERVs, are crucial in a situation like this, says Ms. O'Brien-Molina, because many skeptical New Orleans residents didn't take the mandatory evacuation seriously enough and then were unable to get far enough away because of jammed evacuation routes. In addition, the Red Cross warehouse in Baton Rouge is filled with key supplies, and 283,000 heater meals are on their way to the state.
Hot meals are also on their way - 80,000 per day - thanks to the Texas Baptist Men, a ministry with a history of disaster response. It plans to have available more than a dozen kitchens in Louisiana that can serve "one-pot meals," such as stew, chili, or chicken and rice. The kitchens are self-sufficient, with generators, water purifiers, and propane. To get to the most devastated areas, the group's members bring their own chain-saw units, along with chaplains and portable showers for those in need.
The Red Cross typically pays for the food, and the Texas Baptist Men prepare it. The Texas chapter alone has 18 mobile units. Seven are on their way, and the rest are on standby, says Gary Smith, disaster relief coordinator for the Texas Baptist Men in Dallas. "Earlier this year we mobilized for hurricane Emily," he says, "but it was nothing like this."
FEMA, meanwhile, had moved generators, ice, water, and food into the region for deployment after the storm. FEMA also brought in urban search and rescue teams from Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas, and set them up in Shreveport, La. Similar teams from Indiana and Ohio were staged in Meridian, Miss.
FEMA also deployed 18 disaster medical assistance teams to staging areas in Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Louisiana deployed 3,500 Army National Guardsmen to help hurricane victims, and another 3,000 were on standby as of Monday morning, according to a Guard spokesman.
Statewide, 48 Red Cross shelters opened to residents in the storm's projected path. Hotels were packed as far away as Houston and Jackson, Miss. For New Orleans residents who couldn't - or didn't - leave, the city opened the Superdome. Katrina's 145-m.p.h. winds ripped away part of its roof Monday but as of press time had not forced an evacuation.
Other private and public aid - as well as volunteers - have been pouring into Louisiana over the past 48 hours. Office Depot says it will donate $1 million to the Red Cross, while Anheuser-Busch shipped 300,000 cans of drinking water to relief agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi. Wayne Elsey, president of Kodiak-Terra, a footwear company that donated thousands of pairs of shoes to South Asia after last year's tsunami, is setting up a "Katrina Relief Effort" fund.
The US Coast Guard shut down and evacuated its Gulf coast facilities, even as it sent more than 40 aircraft from the Eastern seaboard, and at least 30 small vessels, to the surrounding area. The units will be used for search-and-rescue operations and repairs of damaged waterways.
Though New Orleans has not taken a major direct hit from a hurricane since Betsy, a Category 3 in 1965, Katrina is being likened more to hurricane Camille in 1969, says Frank Lepore of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Before making landfall, the storm's winds exceed 200 m.p.h. but weakened to less than 150 by the time it hit just east of New Orleans.
American Red Cross: PO Box 37243, Washington, DC, 20013, or online at www.redcross.org.
Salvation Army: Online at www.salvationarmyusa.org.
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Even Doctors without Borders won't help. Doctors from our own country!
https://secure.ujcfederations.org/ft2/form.html?__id=7500 Yael Schneiderman, UJC Media Relations New York -- August 30, 2005 -- United Jewish Communities (UJC) has established a humanitarian relief fund to aid members of the Jewish and general communities touched by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, the Western Florida panhandle and other affected areas. The hurricane, characterized by authorities as one of the most powerful and punishing in U.S. history, slammed through Louisiana's southeastern shore and the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi on Monday, and at least 55 deaths were reported by late in the day. Although the extent of damages is unknown, massive physical and infrastructure damage is expected throughout the region. “The Jewish community has always been at the forefront of responding to human and natural disasters, and playing a major role in alleviating such devastation,” said Carol Smokler, chair of the UJC Emergency Committee. “Hurricane Katrina is taking a human, emotional and property toll of historic proportions. UJC and the Jewish federations of North America will, as always, respond rapidly to ease the challenges and suffering of our Jewish brethren and their neighbors." UJC is working with Jewish federations and network communities in the affected regions and will assess damages and help coordinate relief efforts. Eric Stillman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of New Orleans, joined thousands in the Jewish community there who evacuated to surrounding states and regions. “I greatly appreciate knowing that Jews from across our country and in Israel have contacted me to offer help and words of compassion,” he said from Houston. “I am truly and sincerely touched on behalf of the Jewish community of greater New Orleans.” UJC is also urging Jewish federations throughout North America to open independent mailboxes to receive assistance for the Jewish and general populations of the affected areas. UJC will serve as the conduit for distributing all funds collected by local federations in support of the humanitarian needs of all residents of the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Federations in the storm region have asked that donations not be sent to them directly as they are unprepared to handle these efforts. Donations to the UJC Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund should be made out and sent to UJC, Inc. Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 30, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113. Donations may also be made online at www.ujc.org. United Jewish Communities (UJC) represents 155 Jewish federations and 400 independent communities across North America. Through the UJA Federation Campaign, UJC provides life-saving and life-enhancing humanitarian assistance to those in need, and translates Jewish values into social action on behalf of millions of Jews in hundreds of communities in North America, in towns and villages throughout Israel, in the former Soviet Union, and 60 countries around the world. Live Generously.TM It does a world of good.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
H. Glenn Rosenkrantz, UJC Media Relations
212.284.6572 glenn.rosenkrantz@ujc.org
212.284.6625 yael.schneiderman@ujc.org
HURRICANE KATRINA
Imagine that - the msm NOT cooperating!
Plus, I have heard our Fire Chief recieved a call from a man in Delaware (betting he is a FReeper), who is attemtping to deliver a loaded Semi with clothes, water, food, etc. - and was TURNED DOWN by the Red Cross!
I have heard some horror stories at the Canteen before about the R.C. - but this is nuts!
They apparently told this gentleman to keep his 'Stuff' and send CASH! I almost had a heart attack!
So...any suggestions, guys - as to how I can get this picked up by the media? The entire county Fire departments are mobilized, but you know how the public is - they have to see it to believe it - and we only have ONE WEEK!!
Any help would be appreciated, as I have emailed and called all of the local t.v. stations, two radio stations (which own one t.v. station), and one newspaper. Thank you for anything you may have to offer. JK
Perhaps the R.C is overloaded this week, maybe they need it in a few weeks from now. Seems everyone is giving all at once. Great for today, what about when this is just a regular fact like the starving in Somalia or something.
Lando
Lando
I'm a soon-to-be 4th Degree Knight (September 18). Congratulations, Hoya, and welcome to the best Catholic lay organization there is.
My brothers, I'm certain that upcoming issues of Columbia will have many great "Knights in Action" stories and photos. The Order is stepping things up in a big way. I've never been more proud to be a San Antonio resident, a Catholic and -- especially -- a Knight.
Alan
Dear AlaninSA,
Congratulations on your upcoming Fourth Degree!
Then, I'll address posts to "Dear S/K AlaninSA." ;-)
"The Order is stepping things up in a big way."
Yes, Supreme Knight Anderson's leadership is exemplary.
I've already sent a modest donation to the fund - going to try to work it into my budget for the next couple of months. I'm going to see if our Council doesn't want to dedicate some sort of fundraiser to Katrina Relief.
We had a Communion Breakfast the Sunday after September 11, and just put out a basket for donations that we sent to Supreme to distribute. We're a small Council, about 80 folks, and of course, not everyone came to the Breakfast. Nonetheless, we raised $500 on the spot.
I'd like to do something similar this month at our Council.
If every Council (and there's 13,000 of them) could kick in a few bucks, we'd raise millions more.
But beyond the money, let's remember to pray for these folks, too.
Vivat Jesus!
S/K sitetest, PGK
Giving credit where credit is due; Moveon.org finally found a good use for their server.
http://www.hurricanehousing.org/
People across the country are volunteering to put people up both temporarily and for the rest of their lives.
Exactly! http://www.hurricanehousing.com is legitimate
French compassion is not true! Don't believe them!
Their smile,their hello are not true
Friendly Ulysse
I copied and pasted Southern Baptist Disaster Relief into Google. The first page to come up has the donate now icon ontthe right hand side. http://www.namb.net/ It is actually from the North American Mission Board.
All the best.
I don't know if this link has been posted yet, but Clorox Bleach is offering one dollar donations for a click at their site- max $100,000.00
http://www.cloroxnewwhite.com/Main.asp?S=MJQFD9ML5C2GWJVJ616X
Thanks for the link...great idea! God bless Texas and all those, everywhere, who are being a blessing to others...
Make your dollars work harder - ask your employer to match funds, donate through companies who are matching funds. We've done matching funds for employees at our company, donated through our bank who are matching funds, who are donating through their association who is matching funds.
Every dollar my employees are donating gets doubled to $2, $4 at the bank, and $8 at the assocation.
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