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Post by Duchess of Lashes on Sept 6, 2005 18:16:13 GMT -5
Housemouse --
I am so relieved to be able to report that as of this afternoon, I finally found out that the Jordan family is safe and sound! Thank God! I can't even describe how light my heart feels right now - there is so much I owe to this man and his family! I haven't talked to them yet - but I don't need to - all I needed was to know they were okay.
Now that I do, it doesn't change the fact that I am still so unable to comprehend what these people now face on a daily basis and what they will face for weeks and months to come.
I have sat back in complete and total shock and disbelief at the plight of those victims who aren't as fortunate as my friend. My heart aches for those families who are left to search, for those families who are separated, for theose people whose lives sit shattered before them.
And I, like you, feel so inadequate to do anything. Money doesn't seem enough, but I don't know what I, as an individual, can do other than to donate - I wish there were more.
New Orleans was a city of such vitality, such heart, such life, such soul - I hope for the treasure that it is, it's citizens are, that they will be able, someday soon, to find their way home again.
God Bless each and everyone of them!
LongLashes
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Post by housemouse on Sept 6, 2005 19:08:16 GMT -5
I just spoke to my sister. She lives in Omaha and her school is putting together a drive to collect the things the families relocating there need. I spoke to her co-teacher who said his family lost everything. He said they have found places to live but they don't have any furnishings or those types of things. I'm guessing they will need everything from linens to dishes to toiletries. My sister is getting together a list, so let me know if you are interested.
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Post by anna on Sept 6, 2005 20:14:35 GMT -5
I wonder if there is an adopt-a-family or some other program where we can help people get back on their feet. My neighborhood basically adopted a family over the holiday weekend. A guy down the street has a friend who was trying to relocate several members of his in-laws' family from Biloxi to here (Nashville). Our neighbor just wrote a letter listing the needs (furniture, cash, Walmart gift cards, etc.) and put a copy in everyone's mailbox. Then he organized pick-up and delivery. By Monday night, we had completely furnished two apartments and collected enough cash for immediate necessities, and the folks were here and in the apartments. It was very effective, very personal, and it just took one person stepping up and taking charge. |
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Post by doobrah on Sept 7, 2005 19:06:51 GMT -5
If you need a good news story about hurricane assistance, go here: home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=91762&ran=89645&tref=poThe article will probably be up for a couple of days. It's about the group from my hospital who are providing medical care on the Iwo Jima, which is docked down at the Riverwalk where the cruise ships normally dock. |
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Post by mlm828 on Sept 12, 2005 17:56:10 GMT -5
In case you didn't see this in the "Chat Room" thread, I'm posting the above quote here. A tip of the cap to dogma and her d/h for what they're doing for the critters. Safe journey, and we look forward to your return.
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Post by montrealslp on Sept 13, 2005 18:07:25 GMT -5
Like all of you, my heart goes out to those who've been so devastated by Katrina. It's such a tragedy. I can't begin to imagine their loss. I can just imagine losing my home, or God forbid, members of my family... but to grasp the scale of this... losing your whole neighborhood... your city... It's all too big to comprehend. Larry King Live (with guest host Dr. Phil) did a show about Katrina last night. On it, Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban did the duet "Angel" while images of Katrina victims were shown. One image was of a puppy and the SPCA phone number was shown as a place to donate. I couldn't help thinking of our Dogma! There were lots of other organizations' phone numbers appearing on the screen too, so people who tuned in had good information on where to help. As you know, I'm a big Josh fan, and Josh has posted a video on his message boards asking his fans to help as much as they can. Grobanites are very generous and have raised a great deal already. Josh is going to match our fundraising so the total going to Katrina relief should be substantial. The silver lining in a tragedy like this, is that it brings out the best in some people and the love, concern, prayers and generosity are truly felt by those who need it most. In case any of you wanted to see the Josh & Sarah performance, here's the URL. Sorry, it doesn't come up as a link. You'll have to copy and paste it in a new window. Hugs to all affected by this sad event, Myra www.happy-yappy-media.com/media/josh/videos/Josh_Groban_Larry_King_Live_20050913.rmEdited to add: Oh! It did come up as a link. Good. |
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Post by Katryna on Sept 13, 2005 22:15:27 GMT -5
WOW - what a powerful performance! I have goose bumps! Thanks for posting the link.
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Post by dogma on Nov 9, 2005 23:32:13 GMT -5
any chance of me getting a pity karma? i had it all lined up to go back down to new orleans,, and work "in the field " rescuing,, and i can't go,,  can't get the coverage at work,, no one is allowed to work overtime for that,, there were 5 of us going down,, living in a fema tent village,, and rescue as many dogs and cats before the town gets dozed under,, ( one of the parishes) i was giving up thanksgiving with my family and everything,, i meant more to me to go there than eat turkey and get gas  i just am so frustrated,, i am letting so many down,, critters and humans,, sigh  |
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Post by bjobsessed on Nov 10, 2005 6:26:55 GMT -5
I'll give you one. That stinks!
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Post by housemouse on Mar 14, 2006 10:05:59 GMT -5
I rode in a shuttle from the airport to the hotel with a woman who had grown up in New Orleans. Her parents and grandmother were there during the hurricane. She shared just a small part of her story and it broke my heart.
To start with, her 90 year-old grandmother was evacuated. They were unable to locate her for two weeks. They found her in a shelter in Alabama. They had no idea there even were shelters in Alabama.
Her parents and her grandmother lost everything. They left the homes, but didn't take anything because they assumed the would be coming right back after the storm passed. No such luck. They lost everything they had. All their personal records, all their memories - everything. She went down there to help them try to sort it all out. She was fired from her job for her efforts.
Now her parents and grandmother live with her brother in Buffalo. Each of the three children have been assigned tasks to try to get through the quagmire of red tape. There are so many "catch 22" type situations it is nearly impossible to get anything accomplished. They need paperwork to prove they owned the properties - destroyed in the flood. They had lots of important papers in a safe deposit box at the bank - destroyed in the flood. The bank has no communication systems - destroyed in the flood.
They officials from FEMA are saying that not only are the houses going to have to be razed, they are going to have to remove several feet of soil. Apparently the sewage seeping through the city made the ground toxic.
Those of us who were not directly touched by this have mostly forgotten. There are entire families out there struggling every single day to get back on their feet. There has got to be more we can do.
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Post by bjobsessed on Mar 14, 2006 10:13:54 GMT -5
That is so sad Mouse! I have to admit that it is easy to forget when it's so far away from you and it's not on the news much anymore. You tend to think everything is ok when obviously it's not.
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Post by awlrite4now on Mar 14, 2006 13:04:29 GMT -5
In a related event, my sister just visited me this weekend, and she lives in the area ravaged by Hurricane Rita. Since it came on the heels of the New Orleans tragedy with Katrina, people tend to forget about the ones who suffered similar fates in the Golden Triangle area of Texas/Louisiana.
They were fortunate, in a way. They only lost trees and a few shingles, because they put everything that would blow away inside and boarded up the house before they left. It took them 6 hours to find gasoline to get out of town, because (as few people are aware) the hurricane had been forecast to hit more towards Houston/Galveston, making a last minute turn toward the Beaumont area. Many people had headed for the Beaumont area from H/G, and then had to evacuate again, causing a huge gas shortage.
But my sister and family got out, towing their boat and with all their personal memories, just in case. They returned before they should have, because her husband was afraid of looters. They got back into Silsbee, TX, only because he had ladders and tree cutting equipment, and could help with the cleanup. Everyone else was forced to stay out by the National Guard that was patrolling the streets.
They set to work cleaning up the debris piled against the house, cutting a tree off the roof (which thankfully did not pierce it), and cutting trees to help clear the roads. They had power because they own a generator, but could only run it for certain periods, because of the gas shortage. There were no lights in town, no running water, no natural gas service, as all the lines were flattened by the extreme wind and subsequent tornadoes. It would be nearly two weeks before they had services restored, and they live in town.
His mother and his sister lost everything they owned, and moved in with my sister and her family and were there for 68 days before things could be cleaned up enough in Beaumont to get new housing in there for them.
What did my sister receive? She said that the Red Cross brought ice a few times, and that the National Guard kept checking with them and bringing bottled water and ice. Other than that, they received nothing from FEMA, because they came back and did their own repairs and got their lives back together. My BIL is a subcontractor, and he certainly had plenty of work. The neighbors who didn't come back right away, and who did not clean up their own propery, got a subsidy from FEMA, they got motel bills paid, and FEMA cleaned up their property for them.
Meanwhile, in Hope, AR, FEMA trailers are still sitting idle because the government won't issue orders to take them somewhere for people to live in. They are going to ruin sitting on an old airstrip. Your taxpayer dollars at work.
Sorry for the rant. The system only works for those who know how to abuse it. And I had to tell you a story that was VERY close to home for me.
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Post by dogma on Mar 14, 2006 13:31:54 GMT -5
where did all the previous posts go?
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