January Updates

1/27
One of the first times I have felt like I was running backwards in this whole thing. But, I know I'm not - just feels that way.
I've done a bunch of updating on the blogs - added at least 8 sites of assistance to the side bar. Very cool to have those kinds of discoveries!
Also was contacted (on the blogs) by a man in Americorp. I'm still doing research within his contacts before I confirm he's a great find! He certainly is a caring man. That's the most important thing.
Am hoping we can establish a good working relationship in the very near future.
Have finished writing the directions for the quilt - just have to get it into the computer now. LOL Not always an easy task for me. Today is bad besides, so we'll see how soon it happens.
Most of the updates to the blogs has been within the assistance for the families. A ton of grants as well, but nothing I consider GREAT opportunities.
So, a very short update. Am working on the community gardens still - need to do research for that. Am also working on getting assistance for 3 of my families.
Am also going to work on a letter to send to the Working Families Party. While trying to find ANY type of assistance for both single parents and grand families, the only things that come up with any type of regularity are my pages! Well, that and Japan. And GB. And Canada. And Australia. Not here. So much for compassionate conservative. Or liberals. Or churches. Or anyone else. It's pretty disgusting to see.
That's it!
Update me when you can.
Leslie
PS - I forgot this last week - I feel awful!
One of my families - Ginger - is selling most of her 'stuff' on e-bay. She has no room for it, doesn't know when she will again, and isn't doing much to keep food on the table just sitting in boxes.
If you'd like to look at what she has selling:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwistfullistingsQ5f369

1/20
We have snow! Trust me, you do not want to live in the north where it's so dark without snow to literally reflect what little light you do get. Forget direct sunlight!
I finished the quilt and am now getting the directions written to post online for people to use to make a comemorative quilt in honor of all the Katrina Survivors.
I have just posted 2 items to help anyone reading reduce their bills. The first is reducing debt and dealing with debt. It's generalities, but is solid since I've lived most of it.
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/reducing-debt-and-payments.html
The second is on reducing your food bills. It has normal coupon clipping, extreme coupon clipping, cooking to save money, etc.
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/stretching-food-budget.html
My 10-day "private" update I send to too many people dealt with the infectious diseases yet again. RSV (a child's respiratory infection) is becoming endemic. I'll be writing a letter to the editor of Gulf Coast News, the different local papers (sea coast echo, etc.) and to the schools in hopes of giving them the information they need to control the infection rate within the schools.
Go Saints! Go Colts!
Stay warm, and I hope you keep your electricity!

1/13
What can I say? The Colts won. Who would have thought it! Wow. Amazing game.
Anyway, tons to go through here.
The look on the blogs is evolving. I'm going to do major updates to all blogs on Sundays again. Information on every blog will still occur during the week, but those updates won't be reflected on the others until Sunday.
Have taken the information for "Helping Without Going Down" and made it its own page to hyperlink to from the Index. It rarely changes, shortens the index significantly, but keeps the information very accessible.
I'm using the article index as promised for all articles on all blogs. It'll get big fast, and I'll be breaking it into sub categories within that page soon, but for now Just look there for the most recent dates.
I've written 2 letters this week:
Mailed the quilting letter to quilting magazines and am getting ready to the Am. Quilting Society
Wrote 1 about the current health crisis that's occuring. It's a lot like the Invasion of The Body Snatchers. Both issues are incredibly quiet in their invasion. TB and Syphilis. Am also currently writing another one to send to ALL volunteer agencies that I can to hopefully keep their volunteers safe. Neither disease knows boundaries or intent or goodness of character. No one is safe if one is in contact with either.
Syphilis Article:
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/syphilis-on-rise.html
TB Article:
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/tb-on-rise.html
Am hoping to get more information on each about signs, symptoms, treatment, etc.
Have also contacted 1 person involved in the health care system recovery effort to collaborate on letter writing and hopefully getting a testing/education program going. This is very bad and needs to be addressed. If we, as volunteers, stick our heads in the sand because the topic is distasteful, we'll be building relief homes for sanitarium use rather than family use.
Please check back here to see the latest news on this.
We're moving forward on the community garden project. Lynn from Katrina's Angels is amazing! She's contacted a woman from the MS Cooperative Extension (or similar) and has gotten great news from her. Barbara (Master Gardener in VA) has made great suggestions and given contact information for the MS State MG Association and their plans.
So, things are moving right along!
Send me your updates for the Year End page as soon as you can.
Thank you!
L

1/6
Hey there! Life is moving at an ever quickening pace. Scary actually. Had 2 deaths in the family. 1 on NYE and 1 on NYD. What a way to start the year. Both were blessings for the people who died, but still a sad way to start.
Anyway, I've revamped the indexes of Networking, Hancock County, Waveland, BSL and P-ton. Will be doing the Artisan, the Emergency Services and the Real People Relief ones when my eyes straighten out.
Am going to be really using the Article Index to help abbreviate the indexes. Plus, by looking there, you'll get a far broader picture of what's going on throughout the region, from generalities to specifics.
Have created a host of new resource pages and will most likely expand to include one more. Don't ask me what they all are because I don't remember! LOL Home Repair, Home Finance, Single Parent, Medical, Disabled, Business, Nonprofit, Furnishings +, Education Financing for both adult and traditional learners, School Assistance. Now I think that's it. They're all on the new Index at the top of those blogs I mentioned earlier.
A few of us caught the idea that was floating in the air about community gardens. I've done some of the research and Lynn has already seriously considered it, so we are all communicating with one another in hopes of getting a series of them started in the Gulf. If you're interested, please email me! I'll send you what we've discussed thus far and include you in further emails.
KatrinaCoalition@aol.com
Have started posting Year-End Updates. Please send me one if you've not done so. It needn't be for your entire group - just you. That makes life much simpler for all. Send it as soon as possible, preferably prior to 1/14. View what I've got on here so far:
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/year-end-updates.html
I've posted a request for a coat and winter supply drive as well.
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/keep-toasty-coat-drive.html
Please look and consider it! Many of us are having a warmer than average year, and so definitely can sort through our gently used items, OR get to the great sales going on and buy a few things to ehlp this cause.
I honestly think there is more but can't think of it at the moment. I'll add if I think it's THAT important! Take care and write to me!

Advocate For Heat

1/29 Letter For Editor on Lack of Heat in Trailers
This is in response to the article at:
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/going-without-heat.html
To Whom It May Concern:
This winter has been even more difficult than last winter for Katrina survivors.
They are still living in FEMA trailers; many retired or with small children and unable to locate any housing, much less affordable housing.
Most have jobs, but not at their pre-Katrina pay, and can’t afford the Liquid Propane (LP) to heat their tiny trailers, cook on their stoves, or heat water for showers.
In MS, LP is going for $2/gallon with an average BBQ style tank costing at least $20 per fill, lasting them 2-3 days. Who can afford $10/day to heat 200 square feet? How can they manage with so few resources or options and live in trailers that leak water and air like sieves?
FEMA knows of the problem, but refuses to acknowledge it, forcing survivors to live in worsening conditions of cold, moldy and damp hovels. We treat prisoners better than these fellow citizens.
Local media are just becoming aware of this problem. Why did it take so long? Where is the outrage? Where is the good “corporate citizenship” of the fuel companies?
No wonder the survivors feel forgotten.
Help them. Write letters to your government representatives. Write to the fuel companies. Force change.
Sincerely,

Disease On The Rise

1/15 For All Volunteer Agencies
This letter is intended to alarm you. MS Public Health Department released statistics on TB and Syphilis rates for 2006. The numbers are grim. While reading the following, please be mindful of 2 facts: These are only diagnosed cases and not estimates for the entire population; That consistent health care is still minimal, lowering the number of cases that would otherwise be diagnosed.

TB has increased 12% (http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/tb-on-rise.html). The factors leading to this increase are vast, from a reduction in healthcare access to unventilated small living spaces. And while TB is difficult to contract, it isn’t rare – proven by the epidemics in our nation’s history. Encourage your volunteers to be tested for TB once or twice per year after working in the Gulf Region.

Please review the FAQS at the CDC’s website and give the information to your volunteers to read as well. http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/faqs/qa.htm

Even more frightening is the emergence of Syphilis. It has increased 75 % (http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/01/syphilis-on-rise.html). With it being known as The Great Imitator, it is easy to not visit the doctor for a proper diagnosis, creating an ever-widening infection pool. Coupled with the un-recovered health care system, Syphilis will spread that much more readily.

Using protection such as condoms helps, but is not fail safe. Studies for pregnancy show condoms 4%-10% ineffective (brand, storage and usage factors), with leakage being the main source of failure. Both Syphilis and HIV are up to 100 times smaller than sperm, making failure rate of condoms far higher for viral STDs. Syphilis makes a person 2-5 times more likely to become HIV infected (due to risky behavior and a reduction in the body’s defenses) as well as other STDs. For this reason, it is vital that people be tested if they become sexually active while visiting the Gulf Coast. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm

Spring Break and Mardi Gras are rapidly approaching. TB and STD transmission will be heightened dramatically due to environment and actions.

Please use common sense. Hope they practice abstinence, but educate them and give them access to protection as insurance policies. Educate your volunteers! Send information on all STDs and TB for them to read prior to traveling to the coast and leave information for them at the base camp. Urge abstinence. Require Hepatitis B vaccination and strongly urge HPV vaccination. Urge them to be tested for all STDs and TB when they return home from the coast. Discretely supply protection.

To order a copy of the Can We Talk? Kit and to learn more about program and the steps for implementing it in your community, visit the Can We Talk? Web site (http://www.canwetalk.org/) or contact the NEA Health Information Network at 1201 16th St. NW, Suite 521,Washington, DC 20036; (202) 822-7570.
· Talking with Kids about Tough Issues. This booklet was prepared by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (http://www.kff.org/) and Children Now (http://www.childrennow.org/). For information, call 1-916-441-2444.
· Finding Our Voices: Talking with our Kids about Sexuality and AIDS. This booklet is available from Mothers' Voices (http://www.mvoices.org/), 212-730-2777.
· Askable Parent — a booklet developed by the American Social Health Association (http://www.ashastd.org/), 919-361-8419.

December Updates

12/30 - barely! Well, first, there's the request for information from YOU...
I've gotten a bunch of people saying how cool it would be to have all of the organizations do a year end update. So, I've agreed to compile the information, post it and even forward it to all parties interested (or not even!).

So, here's what I need:

Name (Initials are all I'll post)

Organization Affiliation (if you're not affiliated with anyone, just put NA)

State You Reside

Area or Group You Are Assisting (ie, Waveland, Library, FD, etc.)

Single Column List of Items or Actions (if a box of clothes, just put a box of clothes - don't list individually)

Goals - if you have any for the following year, let us know. We can all help each other when we know what each other is hoping to accomplish.

Please try to keep it in this format for me. It'll make my life MUCH easier.

When I need it - By Jan 3, '07.

10 Q Berry Mud!
(thanks)

Leslie
KatrinaCoalition@aol.com

Onward!
Much has been happening. I have at least one letter to post, and will post to the different groups I'm a member of - it's to get quilting guilds involved.
Have already gotten a half dozen replies for the year-end update, so I suspect that will keep me occupied.
Have tons of photos to go through from Pearlington to post. Have already posted a bunch on the Pearlington site - www.PearlingtonRelief.blogspot.com for those who may not be in the know.
Am starting to help another family who's almost on track and another who is a long way from being on track, but I can help with the little stuff that makes the big stuff go much easier.
Heard about a police officer friend of mine that was assaulted tonight. Not sure if he was shot or stabbed, but injured just the same and a hug manhunt is ongoing.
Am sorting through a lot of my craft stuff to send to one of the families on the Real People Relief site - www.RealPeopleRelief.blogspot.com
Have got a new Resource page for finding furnishings. I have to collect info from a couple of other pages to add to it, so it's not nearly complete...
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/12/resources-viii-furnishings.html

Have also started an information page on videos to coincide with articles and picture links I have as well...
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/12/links-to-videos-and-pictures.html

The guy taking pictures that I'm posting will be leaving soon, but has been along the Gulf for about a week now. His updates are here:
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-trip.html - will be adding some tomorrow AM.

As always, will let you know of anything else. Happy New Year - and I know it will be a good one.

12/23 I really am getting caught up. Well, the picture is similar to the quilt I made. Like an idiot, I didn't take a picture of it. But am hoping to get one from her when she gets back. I hate it when I get caught up in the moment.
I finished sending out boxes to as many of my families as I had stuff for. Some have gotten the boxes, so I know the postal system is working!
My families have had many mini miracles happen for them the last few weeks, so I am thrilled! Life is improving for many of them, giving them hope for the coming year.
Am almost ready for Christmas, but this week had more than 1 distraction. My left eye has had what's called 'detatched vitreous', which can lead to retinal detachment. It's trying. I had to make an emergency visit to the opthamologist. I have a honkin' huge floater now that distorts the vision and gives my vertigo fits, but am learning to ignore my left eye and read anyway. Plus meeting Gary was great, but I woke up dizzy every day this week. So, not nearly as much got done as I hoped.
I've written a new letter - go check it out and tell me what you think. Lagniappe Day - I like it!
I have to rewrite a letter I sent to CNN and the Red Cross about so many families being without heat, electricity or both. Frightening.
So, I am hoping I am now fully back and can keep up with all the sites yet again. Thanks for being patient!
L

12/19 Ooowoowoo. I'm getting back on track!
I finished the quilt, and the lady was thrilled with it! It's in memory of her mother and even I have to say it's a very pretty quilt.
I met Gary yesterday. He's taking a bunch of stuff down for me and for Laura with CAP in Birmingham to Hancock County and NOLA. He came up to get the stuff, stayed for Gumbo (appropriate!) and then got talking about my ancestors' involvement in the Civil War. He even knew what the medal my great great grandfather was wearing. How cool is that?!
I've done some more behind the scenes stuff to keep from getting too overwhelmed. I know, too late.
But, for me, that's quite an accomplishment after having someone new around for over 4 hours. I usually land on the couch for a day or two after that and I was still able to get on the computer to do some filing, do some email, do very little blog work and this update.
AND I got the tree decorated. It's only been waiting a week. I'll take a picture of it. We dug out my great grandfather's childhood sled and put the tree on that, put a sheet under it to look like snow, then the white tree skirt, a red satin ribbon for the rope to pull the sled, and a silver bell on the cross bar of the sled. It's the first time we've used it, so I'm thrilled it works this well. Dad wanted a smaller tree and we didn't. The sled fits without bumping into it and it actually fits the room much better.
I've gotten most of my stuff ready to ship out to 'my' families. I'm glad I waited as Gary stumbled upon a bunch of toys that I was able to incorporate into the packages for Christmas presents. They may not make it in time, but I hope some do. I also got the extras shipped out for the Boys and Girls club of southern Miss. They're short by at least 1000. They'll keep taking presents if you're interested.
I hope to write again before Christmas. Probably Christmas Eve, knowing me. But with any luck, I'll get back on track by then! Fully! What a thought!
L

12/13
OK - WAY late, but I am so far behind I don't think it matters much. LOL
Good news - about half of my families have had at least one person adopt them - so we're doing great there. Most agencies have done really well for their Christmas outreach programs,s o we're hopeful that the kids along the coast will have a Christmas this year. The Feds are looking at the CAT database - in a good way! - it just might get used by them! Common sense just might prevail once in a while! Who knew it could happen on that level?!
Normal News - I got the CPU fan in my computer changed. All by myself. AND it works! I felt like a god for doing such major surgery to the computer and still have it function.
Christmas here at my house is going to be minimal. I got a last minute quilt job that needs to go out in 6 days and I'm just starting to sew it today. So, not nearly as much prep will go into Christmas this year. Life goes on.
Bad news - many of my families are going without heat or electricity or BOTH, along with countless others along the coast. They can't afford the bills because little things keep tripping them up. I've sent a letter to the Red Cross, CNN and the Sun Herald. Will get to the others later today hopefully. Am also formulating a letter to go out to the major utility companies and oil industry to get their butts in gear. Will also send one to Citgo and Citizen Energy to become active in the Gulf Region. They're mostly up North but they need to be down there.
Heard that another volunteer is succombing to an unknown infection that docs can't treat. I'm going to have to start a Memorial page for the folks. Truly sad.

So, that's it for now. I'll try to get back on track this weekend.
L
12/3
A little late, but only by a day.
If you hadn't noticed, I've set up a Wishing Tree for my families, Hope Haven's current children residents, and Pickin' Up The Pieces efforts for Pearlington. There are roughly 300 kids represented directly, and about another 30 indirectly (through Hope Haven). I've got the stuff posted *everywhere!* LOL http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2007/08/wishing-tree.html. Along with it being here, I've also posted the appropriate information on the Hancock County site, in Hope Haven, on the Pearlington site and in Pickin' Up The Pieces page.

I'm also working with a local group to get baby blankets for the 17 babies that are a year or younger in Pearlington. I'll have them today or Wednesday and will ship them to Linda the following day.

I've added a ton of stuff to most of the resource pages - Medical, Family, Education, Business, Home, Nonprofit.

Remember Make a Difference Day? Well, because I pushed SO hard to get you guys to register, a whopping 4 did. BUT - 1 of those 4 is highlighted this week in the USA Weekend for their efforts http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/061203/061203diffday.html - It's about The Giving Circle - among other groups that worked that weekend. So - out of the thousands of groups that entered, and only having 5 (me included) sign up, I say we made a great impact on the founders by having 1 of those 5 represented in the paper this weekend.

In the coming week, I'll be posting a new letter about creating a new "boxing day" for the US. It's mostly a British 'thing', but I'm thinking it could be a great way to give and get rid of at the same time.

This week I'm also going to be sending a letter out (will post) to my state's community colleges and universities - email works best for them, and am hoping for a little last minute assistance for Christmas and hopefully some long term assistance thereafter. The letter is written, I just have to dig out my resource list for them. I urge you to contact them as well. Students are incredibly giving AND a great untapped resource.

The hits on the main site have gone up dramatically since I've been submitting the sites to search engines on a regular basis. I'm up to at least 150 hits/day in the last month - that's up from about 100 hits per day. So - word continues to spread which is perfect!

The backs are of fleece - the top is a detail of the back of the second pic. 2 and 3 pictures are to show the contrast when using the same 3 basic fabrics with different patterns and slightly different scraps. Very cool!



I've finished 2 more quilts- woo! - and am feeling much better from my last encounter with a hornet 2 weeks ago. Our area dodged a major bullet this week with more rain. The storm that slammed the midwest was aimed right at us. Well, after 2 years of record flooding, and still trying to clean up from the latest one 2 weeks ago, the last thing we needed was high wind and tons of rain. Neither happened. No flooding, no trees down, no power outages. Life is good!

BSL organizations - I've not heard from you in forever. Please contact me with some updates!
Take care and talk with you soon.
Leslie

12/1 - Just an FYI - we've got the storm that slammed the midwest coming through here today and tomorrow. If I'm offline for a few days it's because we lost power. I'll be going into massive withdrawal and my family will do whatever it can to get me BACK online! I am not pleasant to be around when I can't do my work.

Community Garden Assistance

1/8 Letter for Gardeners, Gardening Volunteers
As all good gardeners know, the new growing season is only weeks away. Seeds need starting; plans made anew for vegetable gardens; tools repaired and prepared.
As all Gulf Coast volunteers know, having a place to relax is vital. They also know survivors and volunteer camps alike need fresh vegetables regularly which are expensive and can be difficult to find.
How do these things tie together? They do in two ways: The Plant A Row Program and Community Garden Programs.
Plant A Row is a national movement to have home growers intentionally plant more than they need of any or all of their vegetable gardens. They then donate the produce to soup kitchens and food pantries, where storing perishables is difficult.
For more information: http://www.gardenwriters.org/par/
Community Gardens are created on private or public land for public use to grow vegetables, herbs and flowers. This can be a temporary or permanent agreement for the land; with rent either donated by the owner or for no more than $25/plot.
For more information: http://www.communitygarden.org/
Both programs need exploring and implementation throughout the Gulf Region. Are you a volunteer who gardens at home? Start the Plant A Row program at your home and neighborhood to take the produce with you on your trips down.
Are you a gardener without soil to play in at home? Help establish community gardens within the community you are helping in the Gulf.
Either way, your skills as a gardener are needed to help the survivors in one more way. And once established, these programs will last and grow, just like the plants from Spring to Autumn.
Please talk to your group and start at least one of the programs to augment your current mission.
Sincerely,

Heat Needed Letter

Just wanted to let you see the letter I wrote to Kathleen Koch of CNN and to the ARC regarding what I am seeing as a very real health crisis in the form of No Heat. Please use it to contact anyone you think might read and take note!
To whom it may concern,
There is a very real crisis occurring within the '05 hurricane season survivors. Increasing numbers are going without a combination of heat, hot water and electricity due to continued financial set-backs and FEMA discontinuing assistance for no discernible reason and with no follow-up after repeated attempts by the people for answers or appeal process. Most of these people are elderly or with small children. An entire trailer park in Pass Christian, MS, without propane due to lack of financial support and high prices.
But the need is throughout the country - NE, NC, VA, MS, AL, LA, VA, etc. It isn't just along the Gulf Coast.
Please investigate this and use your resources to help change the situation, whether by giving vouchers, or helping the media report this dire situation in hopes of gaining support from the heating industry.
LIHEAP, in most cases, has been drained, TANF gives a pittance for any assistance, and local charities just can't fill in the ever increasing needs.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Leslie Holly
www.KatrinaNetworking.blogspot.com

National Quilting Day Letter

1/1 - Letter for Quilting Guilds, Quilting Magazines for 3/24/07 - National Quilting Day

To Whom It May Concern,

Thousands of children have remained victims of the 2005 hurricane season. These children have lost everything that was of comfort to them.

Hancock County, MS still has roughly 32,000 FEMA trailers housing over 85,000 people, including hundreds of foster families and families with infants, toddlers and young children that are trying to create a loving environment. These FEMA trailers have fewer than 240 square feet for up to 4 people. Multiply this county by the same number of counties that make up 12 of the original 13 states.

National Quilt Day is March 24, 2007. Please plan an event for this date that will help the children in all of these areas. Invite the public and all local quilt or sewing guilds to participate in this event. It will expose more people to the joys of quilting and show the families of the Gulf Coast they and their children are not forgotten.

For more information on delivering the finished quilts, you can contact The Salvation Army, The Boys and Girls Club, or quilt guilds throughout the Gulf Coast.

Sincerely,

Places to mail the letter to:
National Quilting Association
PO Box 12190, Columbus, OH 43212-0190

Link to state associations:
http://www.nqaquilts.org/statechapters.asp

International Quilting Association
7660 Woodway, Suite 550
Houston, TX 77063

Search for Quilting Magazines
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=quilting+magazines

Boxing Day The American Way

The Dark Green portion is perfect for a letter to the editor. The black version is added to the request letter if you are sending it to church groups, industries, etc.

12/26 St Stephen’s/Boxing Day - The term “Boxing Day” came from the opening of church poor boxes that day. This arose from dissatisfaction of giving alms gathered at the Church to the poor. St. Stephen died for his attempts to keep these funds for the poor.

We can adopt this UK holiday and give it our own American word – Lagniappe, meaning “An extra/ unexpected gift/benefit.” It is now a well-known Gulf Coast colloquialism that started as a Spanish word for “gift”. Let’s make 12/26 Lagniappe Day from those of us not needing our extra items to those who have lost everything.

With disasters a natural part of history, there will always be a need for giving a hand up to our neighbors. Many of these are/were in the middle class, never expecting to be thrust into poverty with little hope of escaping, save our collective generosity.

Sort through the items you have received in the last year. Give them to those less fortunate. By giving just one thing to a person or family in need, you will give the far greater gift of hope.

You can do so by looking at the families on the http://www.realpeoplerelief.blogspot.com/ site, or literally any of the organizations I have listed on the side bar of this site, OR go to http://www.freecycle.org/ and post your extras there for help within your community. It's easy, needed, and a huge blessing to both the person you are helping AND you.

Holiday Request Letter to Industry

Holiday Help Letter to Send to Businesses, Universities, Hospitals, etc...

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing on behalf of dozens of families that have been trying to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These families are still spread throughout the country, unable to bring a sense of emotional normalcy or financial stability to their lives.

Something as simple as missing a day of work, or needing a new tire is wreaking catastrophic havoc on these families; paying rent becomes impossible, having to choose between electricity and food, having to choose between needed shoes for the children or that needed tire.

If your company encourages departmental philanthropy, suggest they choose a family from the Gulf Coast. The needs vary from simple toys for Christmas to total financial crisis management.

Regardless of their situation and of your giving, your greatest gift to them will be hope. Your boxes and envelopes are filled with more hope than any number of items packed within.

There are several options you can choose from to assist these families:
Work with an organization that has case managers for the families. These include CityTeam Ministries (http://www.cityteam.org/), HANDS (http://www.hands.ms/) or The Giving Circle (http://www.thegivingcircle.org/).
Work with a more loosely knit group of volunteers representing the families. These include Katrina’s Angels (http://www.katrinasangels.org/), Impact Ministries (www.citiimpact.org/html/events.asp), or Adopt My Room (www.adoptmyroom.org/).
Work with families directly through such sites as Real People Relief (http://www.realpeoplerelief.blogspot.com/), Adopt A Family (www.adopt-a-katrina-family.com/) or Hope Haven Children’s Shelter (http://www.hopehavenshelter.org/)

No matter what method you choose, I can assure you the family will give far more to you than anything you give them.

Sincerely,