If anyone is interested or able, this is a service that lets you volunteer a bed in your home to people displaced by Katrina. you can determine who is acceptable for you home and for how long you are willing to host them. If you are in the southeast US or even in the US at all I encourage you to consider this as a way to help a vicitm.
http://www.hurricanehousi...xK2VPVinNg

Last night, I saw an interview with a lady who grew up in New Orleans & had experienced one these hurricane emergencies as a little girl. She said that she remembers when they were distributing the non-perishible foods, the joy she felt when they busted out the Oreo cookies.

I just bought a whole bunch of those little bags of Oreos & I'm taking 'em tomorrow morning to church where they've begun trucking food & supplies down there.

[Edited 9/6/05 23:56pm]
[Edited 9/7/05 0:03am]

From one of my coworkers here in houston:

Well, apparently, housing 45000+ people isn't that hard for Houston. I just got back from the late-night shift at the George R. Brown Convention center and I gotta say that I would be happy to be housed there for months. Granted, I am very tolerant, but everything you could want is there. Free food and drink, free clothes, free shoes, free everything. Total security, total calm. The only thing you don't have is total privacy. But in a situation like this, people are tolerant. You can't expect everything, especially when you truly have nothing left.

Although there is no shortage of volunteers, I am somewhat disappointed at the lack of communication. When I tried to go back to Reliant Arena (not the Astrodome or Convention center), the police turned me away and said come back later. There were too many volunteers. When I called the 'hotline' for info later in the day they told me that the George R Brown Convention center needed people right away, so I went. When I drove up to the GRB, police questioned me and said they were already at volunteer capacity. I told them "I just called the center and they said they need volunteers NOW". They didn't argue, but they were curious as to who I talked to (since there are many shelters in Houston and the coordination is not quite what it shoud be at the moment). So, I called the number back right in front of the police. They heard my conversation, escorted me to the location that I was told (which was already cut off by police) and asked the people at the door "Are you guys accepting volunteers?" Of course they said YES and I got in. I told the main people inside to communicate with the police since they were turning people away that might be needed. Unfortunately, my eventual job was sorting and folding the flood of clothes that people have donated. I know that this organization is needed, but I don't think this is the time for it. Right now, people need to feel safe, feel that their problems are known and that they are taken care of. Showering or bathing is nice, but really they want to be heard or known, not ignored. I did arrive for the night shift, so most were asleep, but buses were still coming in and people were still needed to be considered and consoled...

This email may be distributed and I'm going to sleep now...

Michael

www.sybilmedia.com

I was on the 'fold team' last night. There were a lot of hygene items also brought in. We got everything done so fast I was amazed at the dedication everyone showed, children and all. The stuff we packaged up is going to Lafayette LA to a church housing people. I am going through my son's toys tonight. I explained to him what was going on and how there are other kids who now have nothing. He really wants to pick out nice stuff. I like the oreo idea. I know how that would have made me feel as a child also. No word yet on the families coming here though.

This sucks, I so wosh I could help in any way, but I'm so broke it's not even funny (2 months behind on my rent already) and I'm in Sweden so I can't help out with housing either. The evacuees are in my thoughts a lot though, I've been doing my kind of praying for them since it all went down.

Teacher said:

honey...thats more then enough....

Teacher said:

We may have to take up a collection for u.

ok, this is what I've heard; if you specify that the money you donate to the Red Cross is for Hurricane Katrina, then they can use the money ONLY for that cause. If they end up making more money than they actually need, then they can't touch the leftover donations. Apparently this has happened in the past, which is why it's better to just donate money and not specify what it's to be used for.

can anyone verify or nullify this?

sosgemini said:

Thank you

Can't help watching the news and I get so upset by it all, my bf says "so don't watch it" but I feel I have an obligation to take what little part in it I can. Does this make sense to anybody else?

Teacher said:

Your heart is in the right place and that counts for everything!

Natsume said:

My daughter has told me that I am to give her $40.00 she earned from me for the cause.... So let me know what you find out...allthough can they really exhaust funds this time?

superspaceboy said:

How late will that go?

Teacher said:

Prayer is like money at times like these if u truly believe that it works. It lets me know that your heart is in the right place. With that kind of support, you can't go wrong.

I put a link to the NPGMC site on my blog, and encouraged my music loving friends to check it out and download the single. I told them that even if they are not Prince fans, they would enjoy the song, and be lending a helping hand.

Teacher said:

***replying to both quotes***

feel so guilty because don't have any money to give. have clothes to give but it seems that the #1 request is money, which really don't have right now . All do is sit and watch the news and at the horrific stories that are being told & completely fall apart when hear the good stories of people being reunited with their families, friends & pets. can't help it, have pets myself & would be totaly heartbroken if had 2 leave them behind. My husband tells me that am a drama queen for watching so much of the coverage on the diaster but like U feel obligated somehow because all CAN DO is watch & cry for these people whom have been stripped of everything & 4 them all that God lessen their hardship and that they can recover from this disaster. SO THIS DOES MAKE SENSE, well 2 me at least.

Can I also point out that George Bush has failed our people once again! Our people were in an urgent need of assistance and where was George Bush...on vacation!!!! YET ANOTHER DELAYED REACTION TO A TREMENDOUS DISASTER!!!! ONCE AGAIN HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE WARNINGS HE WAS GIVEN !!!!! It just burns me up!!!! FACE THE FACTS GEORGE W. BUSH, U FUCKED UP YET AGAIN!!!!! There, I said it, I'll shut up now!!!!!

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund ReNew Orleans

Preservation hall, located in the French Quarter, was created as a sanctuary in 1961 to protect and honor New Orleans Jazz music and culture. . Allan and Sandra Jaffe, the hall's founders, wanted a place where New Orleans musicians could play New Orleans Jazz, a style, they believed, should not disappear. Today, over 40 years later, the hall is still going strong, with the Jaffe's youngest son Benjamin now leading both the hall and the band which still tours the world.

The New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund is a certified non-for profit company created to directly assist the hundreds of thousands of New Orleans Musicians that are now without home, family and even their instruments. It was created as an instant response to Hurricane Katrina and is now the only non-profit that actually pays monies directly to musicians that need it the most. All musicians not already in the Preservation Hall data base are encouraged to call the hotline, or visit the website www.reneworleans.net which will enable any and all New Orleans musicians to benefit.

For more info call 800.930.2356 or email info@reneworleans.net

Thursday, September 8, 2005

BY CHRIS CHRISTOFF
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

More than 200 radio and television stations on Friday will use the airwaves to raise money for the Red Cross' Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Much of the fundraising will take place 6-9 a.m. during radio drive time programs, said Karole White, president and CEO of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

Listeners will be urged to donate money to the American Red Cross. The Red Cross hotline to donate is 1-800-HELP NOW. The web site is www.redcross.org.

"It was not a hard sell, our phones rang off the hook," White said, acknowledging that some stations will give up revenue by replacing advertisements with on-air fundraising, which may include local celebrities.

The 218 stations include all 14 public radio stations in Michigan, White said.

The day-long event was initiated by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who dubbed it, "Michigan Cares/Michigan Gives."

http://www.freep.com/news...050908.htm

way to go all!
[Edited 9/9/05 2:27am]

BY STEVE ZIPAY
STAFF WRITER

September 7, 2005


Stephon Marbury, sobbing as he spoke about hugging his children and about his sense of despair while watching footage of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, yesterday pledged to contribute between $500,000 and $1 million to the relief effort for the Gulf Coast.

At a midtown news conference organized by the NBA Players Association, which upped its pledge to Feed the Children to $2.5 million, the Brooklyn-born Knicks guard was supposed to announce his personal donation to the relief efforts. But he broke down on the podium before completing his remarks.

"I see the kids," said Marbury, his voice cracking, "and I just think about my kids. You see babies floating in the river. We complain about the littlest things. I mean, we're so fortunate for so many reasons; we can breathe, we can walk. It's not even about money. It's more about everybody's responsibility. This is about how you treat people. To see this every day, you know that this is going on and you got people, they don't care about it. "

Marbury has three daughters and an infant son.

"My kids," he said, wiping his eyes, "you don't think about nothing else. You just hold them so tight and you just look at them and they don't even know why you're looking at them like that and they wonder why you're crying."

As Hunter, other NBA players and a small group of journalists listened in silence, Marbury said, "The money that I'm giving," but began crying and sat back down on the dais.

He remained there, head bowed, with a hand covering his face, for another 20 minutes. Billy Hunter, the NBPA's director, consoled Marbury with a pat on the shoulder and revealed Marbury's pledge, the largest by any NBA player.

Fellow Knick Allan Houston also attended. "When you see something like this and drive around in your car and walk around your house, it's like Steph said, you almost feel guilty because people 10 hours from here have lost everything," Houston said. "We're supposed to do this from our heart."

On Aug. 30, as part of Operation Rebound, the NBPA made a $100,000 down payment and pledged at least $1 million to Feed the Children, the Oklahoma City charity that is trucking in water, food and supplies. The $2.5 million will match what the NBPA donated to the relief effort after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Hunter said yesterday.

The $2.5 million will come from the union's coffers and won't include donations from individual players to the Red Cross and other organizations, Hunter said. Among players who have written checks: Kobe Bryant (Lakers) and Alan Henderson (Mavericks), $100,000 each; Baron Davis (Warriors) $60,000 and Chris Duhon (Bulls), $30,000.

As of yesterday, 89 trucks provided by Feed The Children have made deliveries to displaced families in six states and another 30 are on the road, co-founder Larry Jones said yesterday. NBA players will help distribute food from the trucks next week, Hunter said.

About 35 NBA players will play a charity game in Houston next weekend, said Hunter, who said the players would continue contributing through the season.

Purvis Short, the NBA's director of player programs in Houston, visited Mississippi with the Feed the Children caravan and walked through neighborhoods where bodies were amid the rubble.

"This has to be a long-term effort," Short said. "It's the worst thing you could ever imagine."



http://www.newsday.com/sp...icks-print


WTG STARbury!!!!

So far Americans have given $587 million to victims of Katrina. In the 10 days after 9/11, Americans donated $239 million. In the nine days following the tsunami, $163 million. The response to Katrina dwarfs it all.


http://www.cbsnews.com/st...8827.shtml

Gays Take Action!

XxAxX said:

Just made a contribution to www.aspca.org for the help in the rescue of animals. I also signed up my Mom and me to foster dogs. On Friday, we got word at work that we may be housing teens for an extended period of time at our homeless/runaway shelter. This is a great idea as the shelters exist all across the United States and are already funded by the federal government so little new money would be required. Most Pet Supply Plus stores are collecting pet supplies which I've also donated to. We have a large collection of hygiene items ready at our teen shelter which will be going down on a Salvation Army truck next week.
[Edited 9/10/05 19:29pm]

Mach said:

Don't know if any of these will help Mach but maybe they would be a start.

888~535~6136 is reportedly a number that you can call to register your specific services and they will set you up where you are most needed.

www.pointsoflight.com will train people for relief and rescue workers

the Red Cross will also provide training but I've heard they are so overwhelmed they are just providing support right now.


if you go to www.cnn.com they have a whole listing of organizations, what type of help they need and how to volunteer


Watching the news, it looks like many people are just going down and they are being recruited instantly.

MoonSongs said:

God bless u.

I am organizing a benefit concert to help the victims in the Dallas area. I am trying to get a large enough venue so that the two front rows will be all victim seating and get transportation to and from the show. All the money raised will go to three organizations that are helping with housing, food, child care and job placement. The concert will be in November in Dallas, Texas.

MoonSongs said:

In the next week or so the main facility in Louisiana housing thousand's of the rescued hurricane pets where I volunteer will be closing (returning to usual business) and the animals who have not been claimed by their owners will be shipped to "no-kill" shelters throughout the country. I'm sure these shelters will be at max with the addition of the hurricane pets, so if anyone could help foster a dog, cat, etc., until a permanent home is found that would ease the burden on these "no-kill" shelters who are so kind to accept these animals.

XxAxX - It may not seem like "enough", but donations in ANY amount would greatly help with the increased population in these shelters. Please give to your local shelters who may be taking in these pets.

Still today, more than a month after Katrina, pets are continuing to be rescued in the New Orleans area. Please do anything you can to help these poor babies.

http://www.kintera.org/si...C/Home.htm


[Edited 10/6/05 5:38am]

If that isn't a picture that'll break your heart, I don't know...