OT: Hurricane Katrina Aftermath

Silver · 08-31-2005, 09:02 AM

I can not believe the devastation. 80% New Orleans is underwater, and the water is still rising. How horrible!

Please consider donating, if at all possible.
American Red Cross**
1-800-HELP NOW
1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)

**[free knitting CD from KH if you donate $50 to the Red Cross via KH, see my post below. ~Amy]

brendajos · 08-31-2005, 02:15 PM

Hope you don't mind if i add another group that is working down there too. THey are working to save as many of the forgotten victims as possible...the animals. http://www.noahswish.com/

Carol_OH · 08-31-2005, 03:17 PM

thanks for posting, this Silver (and Brenda)

A high-school friend and his partner are down there - they have been living in NOLA for years and years. I just called his mother who lives in my area, and she hasn't heard from them yet. I'm praying for them, and everyone else.

*the saddest thing about all of this is that his mother has lost two sons already - my friend is the last child of hers - oh this is just horrible*

amy · 08-31-2005, 05:17 PM

I'm offering a free KnittingHelp CD-set to folks who donate $50 to the Red Cross via this site. Details here. We raised over $1,000 this way in January for Tsunami victims.

I hope we can help some of the families that are suffering right now. Can you imagine loosing your home and your job and everything like this? We need to take these folks under our wing however we can.

sogrammatical · 08-31-2005, 06:16 PM

I feel so disconnected - I got back to school a few days ago and since I don't have a tv, I just found out this morning. I know some people who go to Tulane, but their school email is down so I don't even know if they had already gone back and had to be evacuated.

I keep reading news articles saying it could be over a month before the flood waters go down and they can get power back. This is so unreal.

Ingrid · 08-31-2005, 06:21 PM

I saw a girl from Tulane interviewed last night and she's afraid that she won't be able to graduate in January like she planned. Many students have already transferred because they don't know how long the school is going to be closed.

I have a friend whose son and dil own a restaurant in NO. I have no idea how badly it was damaged.

It's such a horrible, horrible situation.

brendajos · 08-31-2005, 06:32 PM

my manager was trying to get me to call one of my clients yesterday in NO and get their physical address. Couldn't get him to understand what he was asking... :rollseyes:

i think the most horrible thing right now is the fact that they are going to have such a hard time getting relief supplies in there. for the most part the only way to get into NO is over the bridges and they were so badly beaten that if they didn't collapse they really have to be checked to see if they are safe before they can go over them. I am really worried about their ability to rebound from this. New Orleans is the backbone of the louisiana economy and if they can't rebuild the state is going to be in HUGE trouble. :crying:

Mer · 08-31-2005, 07:01 PM

I just got this email from WEBS (www.yarn.com) about their support:

Quote:

Dear Customers, over the past couple of days, all of here at WEBS have been moved by the devastation that Hurricane Katrina has brought the Gulf Coast. The magnitude of this tragedy is overwhelming. We met with our team here and we all agree that we need to do something. So, starting today, for the next 10 days, we will donate 10% of all purchases to the American Red Cross. If you order on-line, over the phone or shop in our Northampton store, 10% of your purchase, through September 10th, will be given to the hurricane relief efforts of the Red Cross. There is nothing special you have to do, just shop.

We hope you will join with us in supporting this very worthwhile cause for the people who have lost so much across the Gulf Coast States.

www.yarn.com

MaggieL · 09-01-2005, 12:07 AM

I currently am living in Louisiana, and even though we were not even close to being hit, have to share my experiences with Katrina. I am a Program Facilitator with one of the school districts and spent most of the morning in a meeting to determine how to help and handle all of the displaced people/students.

Our shelters are overflowing with people and we�ve been told to expect more. There isn�t enough space, food, water, linens, hygiene supplies, etc. Even getting the students into our schools will be a problem - no space, not enough teachers, transportation, food, clothes, books, supplies etc. Many of our employees and students have family they haven�t heard from. Today, we found out that one of the Administrative staff lost at least one family member and still hasn�t heard from another.

Many who have survived have lost everything. I use to think that meant home, pictures, cars � material possessions. Now I know it means so much more - a way of life.

I know I have rambled. But as I sit here, I realize how fortunate my family is tonight. We haven�t lost anyone, we have our homes, we have our jobs, and we know how we will make it through tomorrow.

Mer · 09-01-2005, 01:39 AM

Maggie, glad to hear you're ok. I'm expecting about 25,000 new neighbors--I live right down the street from the Astrodome in Houston, where they're relocating many of the people from the Superdome. They said that they're going to have the space available as a shelter through at least December. I can't even imagine how difficult it would be to be displaced like that.