Here's a list of helpful supplies that I remember from '98:
Plastic Laundry baskets. Trash bags. Plastic buckets Sponges Bleach
I save my big Laundry detergent bottles with spigots for "emergency water supply." They could be portable showers and cleanup centers - or even drinking fountains - if we could get them to the people who need them. Or, maybe others would donate one of those big water jugs with spout that construction crews use.
Sent a letter to the CEO of my company, a multinational corporation, suggesting that he authorize a program to "match funds" for employees assisting this effort.
That doubles the contributions that our 150K plus employees could give.
First effort.
Could you ping your lists?
This may sound trivial. I can't take in a family, however, I could take in some pets (dogs). But I have no idea how to find out if anyone needs this help. I'm in Austin. At least it might give a family freedom from worry and allow them to live someplace for awhile that might not allow pets. I promise to give them back!
Houston Area FReepers ping!
Ideas, anyone???
bump
I am in the Houston area. There is plenty to do to help those in Houston who left NO (both before and after the storm). There is shelter being set up down the street from where I work in the Clear Lake area (near NASA/JSC). I plan to help out there. Over the next month -- because I do not doubt it will be open that long.
At least it's a start.
For us: Money to Southern Baptist Convention's Home Missions specal Katrina relief fund, and some to Salvation Army. None to American Red Cross.
I have a 4 bedroom house in the Dallas area that is empty--I am in the process of refurbishing it, but all it really needs is someone to put the 3 toilets back in to be perfectly habitable--it is empty, but I have some spare furniture I could put in it--if there is a family out there that could make use of it and is in reasonably good shape physically to help me move some stuff-the reason it is not finished and up for sale is my own back going out recently-I would gladly make it available. I would especially be interested in helping out a military family, but if the breadwinner is interested in roofing, I could put him to work, probably.
So far...no takers.
I'm way up north here but did make a healthy donation to the Redcross . Everything helps.
1)Wife had 0830 meeting to organize her middle school to get school supplies, clothes, games, stuffed toys for the kids at the Dome. This Ft Bend ISD school raised $5,200 for Tsunami relief, and over a hundred bags (yearly) of bathroom supplies, underwear and socks for homeless veterans who show up at the Houston Veterans Hospital.
2) Sent email to Harris County asking the best way for my friends and me to help.
3) Contacted neighbor who has a daughter working for the Salvation Army to find out their needs.
4)Last night sent email to my Pastor to get the church to organize a blood drive.
5)Just now sent email to local Rotary District asking if we can tie our efforts in with them as they will be better organized
They'll need TP, for sure. Tarps can be used to seperate people from wet ground or to make a shelter.
We have a nice travel trailer and we have a few extra bedrooms but we are awfully far away and would be pretty picky. But I love children and I have plenty of toys and swings. If someone needs to be in New Mexico then let me know.
Great idea!
Ping to FMC.
"I live in the area where the evacuated families have fled, near Alexandria, Louisiana.
I suggested in another thread that if someone really wants to know where their charitable donation is going, that they "adopt" one of the families who have fled to this part of the state; i.e., Rapides and Avoyelles Parishes (counties).
For example, you could contact the Central Louisiana Red Cross in Alexandria, and ask them to identify a family with the greatest need, then contact the motel they're staying in and put their lodging tab on your own credit card. (In the alternative, if the family you want to help has no lodging, perhaps you could offer to pay the expense of getting them out of a shelter and into a hotel when space becomes available.) Then, you could FedEx a "care package" to their motel consisting of a Wal-Mart gift card and those little gift certificate booklets for fast food chains such as McDonald's or Burger King (specifically do NOT send Dunkin' Donuts booklets, because their only Louisiana franchise is in downtown New Orleans).
Although Wal-Mart itself has made a substantial donation to the Salvation Army, a gift card is much more helpful to a needy family. In this part of the country, Wal-Mart SuperCenters are huge 24-hour megastores which typically comprise not just the department store but also a full-service supermarket, automotive service area and a Murphy USA discount gas station. The Wal-Mart gift card can be used to purchase everything your chosen family might need, from personal hygiene to meals to an oil change.
The Rapides Parish School Board in Alexandria is now instructing evacuated parents to temporarily register their children in our schools, because it appears that families will be stranded in our area for as long as a month. Their homeless coordinator's name is Mrs. Nita Elks, and perhaps she might be able to help you target a family in need.
In Avoyelles Parish, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana operates Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, and they have opened its Mari Center as a shelter, but it's completely full, as are all shelters in the parish. Perhaps a tribal elder might be able to identify a specific family being housed in the casino's convention hall. Paragon's main switchboard number is (800) 946-1946.
These are just suggestions, but they are at least ways you could provide constructive solutions to the catastrophic problem we've got going on here. Thanks for caring about the good people of Louisiana!"
46 posted on 08/30/2005 5:52:04 PM CDT by buickmackane (reporting from Pineville, Rapides Parish, LA)
Save
One thing that is nearly always in need and doesn't take very long - donate blood. The cleanup in this thing is only beginning and a whole lot of hospitals are going to need some serious help before it's over.