Hurricane Katrina Victims: How can we help from SoFla?

[BMarkey]

This might sound strange, but if any of you (or know anyone) need a place to stay for a while, or just to get away - or need any specific items - please contact me.

I can arrange to get some people places to stay down here short-term, and I would be happy to organize a relief effort on behalf of hurricane victims.

I did such a thing after Hurricanre Andrew. I organized two local communities into a two-day effort that resulted in tens of thousands of pounds of food, clothing and necessities for the people of south Dade County. We even trucked the items down there (sneaking through roadway checkpoints and "borrowing" Red Cross banners) and set up our own relief distribution points in little-trafficked areas the Red Cross ignored. We went into the Everglades near Homestead and Florida City and even helped the undocumented aliens who were too afraid to seek help; and we went through destroyed retirement communities finding the elderly shut in with little water and food and no power. We used churches as distribution centers and one of our local Catholic churches started a mobile medical brigade of doctors and nurses. It was extremely difficult but very fulfilling.

We were so successful that the Red Cross even started sending its trucks to pick up donated goods we had amassed. Then-Gov. Lawton Chiles even praised us one Sunday (we stayed in the mess for days), trying to take credit for the government's involvement. (He was corrected.)

Andrew was perhaps the only recent storm that could be compared to Katrina. The word "devestated" has been used way too much regarding other recent storms - so much so that we have become desensitized to it (now when it should mean something). "Devastated" is not part of a roof off and fences down.

Let me know what I can organize down here to help the victims - especially those from Alabama. E-mail me at *******@PalmsWestPress.com

[Sarahbelle]

You are so awesome, *******.

[Sarahbelle]

Katrina Relief Effort donations below:

This link has detailed instructions if you're unsure as to what you can do:
http://www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm

Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

This is for the Humane Society: https://secure.hsus.org/01/katrina_relief/ni7a8YdM19RtL

I've already made donations to the RC and the HS...these people (and animals) need all the help they can get.

[TrojanWar]

How about clothing? Is there anyway I can send a bunch of clothes to the victims? WE have several garbage bags full of clothes that we had planned to take to Goodwill, but if I can get them to the Hurricane victims, that would be even better. My wife was just commenting last night about how we have way too many sheets and blankets stored in the closet as well. Would the Red-Cross be the best place to take the donations?

[Navarre Trojan]

I am going to try and contact Faith Ward today and see if we can't set something up for the UAB game. I think that the crowd will be much more "giving" than the Cal Poly/Band Day crowd. I think this is our best chance to get some needed funds to your area. I will talk to her and PM you back. We should be able to do something for our folks in New Orleans and Alabama.

Go Trojans - Time to help each other out!!

[faithintsu]

Yeah I was thinking of doing this for the Cal-Poly Game as well as UAB Game.

Let me know what Faith says - if she does not repsond let me know and I will organize something at our tent - if we have one.

[Sarahbelle]

I know from my work that the Red Cross and other similar organizations aren't eager to accept clothing and such because of the cost of sorting, cleaning, and transporting. But I'm sure the needy on a local level would appreciate your unwanted items.

I remember when I was in Troy having contests with JSU to see which school could raise the most money or food for local charities. I wonder if it's not too late to set up a Troy versus UAB contest to raise money.

[TrojanWar]

I don't mind going through all the clothes and sorting, washing, and folding everything. I just figured with all the water that clean, dry clothes would be a major need. I heard on the news last night that a local Wal-Mart store opened it's doors and told everyone to take what they needed.

[faithintsu]

I just talked with Faith and it looks like we are going to set our Tent Up and collect stuff - not 100% confirmed but we are going to confirm it today.

[Sarahbelle]

From the Red Cross website:

Why won't the Red Cross accept small, individual donations or collections of items such as clothing, food or cleaning supplies-doesn't every little bit help?
The Red Cross does not accept individual donations of material items (called "in-kind" donations) because receipt of such items can actually hamper relief efforts. The financial and personnel cost of receiving, sorting, transporting goods and ensuring the quality and cleanliness of items donated by individual households is very high. It does not allow for individuals and families to receive what they uniquely need in their own size and shape.

The traditional method of providing Red Cross assistance is with a voucher, redeemable at local stores and paid for with donation dollars, that enables victims to purchase what they need in the correct sizes and in accordance with their own taste. Making even these small decisions helps individuals begin to take control of their lives and their recovery. In addition, this process helps channel money into the local economy and thus aids the community in recovery from disaster. The Red Cross does accept large corporate donations of food, bottled water and other items needed by the disaster-affected communities.

[faithintsu]

Guess we are not going to give it to Red Cross.

[Sarahbelle]

Guess we are not going to give it to Red Cross.

I'm not trying to put down the efforts of those wanting to give clothes, food, etc...but no one is going to be taking them to give to the Hurricane Victims at this time.

Even the Salvation Army isn't accepting in-kinds.

2. In - Kind Donations:

Due to the uncertainty of specific needs and a desire for The Salvation Army to meet as many of those needs as possible, we are not accepting in kind donations at this time. Please take all donations of clothing to your local thrift store to assist them in continued service to your community. Corporations wishing to make in kind donations may contact 1-888-363-2769.

We should just set up jars at our tailgating tents or at the gates and take up money. Even if people just give their pocket change or a couple of bucks, it'll help.

[TrojanWar]

While I understand the policy, I don't agree with it. It's so much cheaper to accept clothing than it is to buy new clothing and goods. Sure, buying new stuff is easier and I understand that. I just think in a time of major crisis like this, any real donation could and would be used. The exact size should not matter when a person is just looking for something clean and dry to put on. We're not talking about trying to supply the people with clothes for the long term, just items to get them by until relief funds come in. I guess I'll skip the red-cross and figure something else out.

[TrojanWar]

I just found out that the city of Ozark is accepting donations of food, clothing, and supplies at the Perry Rec Center. They will be taking the first load down this weekend so if you are close to Ozark, this would be an excellent alternative to the red-cross. I plan to send several bags of clothing by way of a friend tonight.

[Sarahbelle]

You'd be surprised what, and how much, corporations, especially local, will donate. During Ivan, Budweiser sent down trucks of canned water, Outback sent down massive grills with chicken, burgers, and the fixins, Hanes sent down trucks of clothes...and that's just the start. It's not the getting of stuff that's the issue, its the delivery of it. It's hard to get those trucks through a flooded city.

[formerlytsufan]

You'd be surprised what, and how much, corporations, especially local, will donate. During Ivan, Budweiser sent down trucks of canned water, Outback sent down massive grills with chicken, burgers, and the fixins, Hanes sent down trucks of clothes...and that's just the start. It's not the getting of stuff that's the issue, its the delivery of it. It's hard to get those trucks through a flooded city.

It never ceases to amaze me what great acts of kindness humans are capable of. We spend all day arguing over petty issues, but we the time comes to act, people step up.

It is very disheartening to see what people are going through down there, but seeing the efforts of everyone (including ones on here) brings a smile to my face. :D

[bulldogtrojan]

You might also try the Southern Baptist Assoc. I know they have relief efforts going. Don't forget about giving blood, too. I would suggest a game day drive, but it would have to be pre-tailgating :D :D

[Sarahbelle]

It never ceases to amaze me what great acts of kindness humans are capable of. We spend all day arguing over petty issues, but we the time comes to act, people step up.

It is very disheartening to see what people are going through down there, but seeing the efforts of everyone (including ones on here) brings a smile to my face. :D

You're absolutely right. Yesterday we received massive boxes of fresh cookies from the American Cookie Company in Daphne in every flavor they carry. Because everybody here has been so stressed, it was amazing to see the smiles people, especially the National Guardsmen, had when they saw those heaps of decorated cookies.

[Vegastrojan]

here in Las Vegas this morning. The lady said that they do not accept material items right now because they can't transport them to LA and MS. She said that Catholic Charities is probably the only outfit around the country that is coing to try and take material items to the disaster area.

If you have something like this try and give them a call.

I did and all the way from Las Vegas, they are going to be sending a truck down there.

[TrojanWar]

That's great news Vegas! The news has been saying all morning how bad they need blankets and clothing as well as things for the elderly and infants. it's going to come down to people taking whatever is given before long.

[BMarkey]

Much of the clothing, blankets, etc. send to south Dade after Andrew went to waste. People sent junk that was unsuitable and it just caused more disposal problems.

There isn't enough room in all of Louisiana to take all the debris and landfill material that will be generated from this disaster.

Water, PediaLite, etc. - that's another story.

[Lord-Mustang]

Folks...I can't begin to image what people are going through with this. I've seen pictures and news reports etc...but you can't really grasp how bad it is unless you can see it first hand. If you wish to donate, MONEY is always the first option. I have heard others getting together things such as Gallons of Bottled Water, Diapers, and Canned type foods that do not need to be cooked. I saw one news report that floored me, mainly because I wouldn't have even begun to think this way....CNN interviewed a women at the Superdoom. She stated that people would never think of this as a "Luxury", but she had more respect for it now, and she secretly pulled a single piece of toilet paper out of her pocket. People...You could buy boxes of toilet paper to send down for less than what it takes to fill up your sports car, SUV, or pickup truck. Think sensibly and just do it. I know that WKMX said this morning that if you don't know where to send monitary donations, you could sent it to them and they would get it to the right organizations for relief efforts.


WKMX-FM
100 North Main Street
Enterprise, AL 36330.


You can phone us at -

Business office: 334-347-2278


I had talked to Scott Farmer about donating a few hundred to Athletics on Saturday Night....but after this, I feel my money would be better used in doing what little it can for victims of the hurricane.

[Nice Trojan]

Anyone in the panhandle looking to donate anything such as food or water, 98.1 The Ticket has a drop off location at their office in Fort Walton. I believe as of this morning they were making their first run to Mississippi and didn't even have enough trucks to carry over all of the donated items.

I want to help, but am with everyone else, I just dont know how. So if you have a tent set up, I wil proudly donate some cash, some canned goods, water, clothes, sheets, blankets, whatever I can. I know when we were hit by Ivan last year, we received help from everyone. Now it is our turn, lets help some folks out.