Hurricane Katrina

[lsutiggeratwk]

Another thought from a Louisiana DVC'er. Haven't had access to my email in 4 days, todays the first day and knew right where to go. All of you are the best.

I work for Volunteers of America - Greater Baton Rouge. The Volunteers of America in New Orleans had to evacuate all of the clients they serve. Some of the staff are now in BR and clients and consumers are spread out all over. There is a group of about 120 in Texas. All of these folks are in need.
If you wish to donate, our BR agency has started a Hurricane Relief Fund to help support those folks in the most need. I'll go ahead and put the address here, guess that will be okay. I promise every penny will be spent on relief efforts for those affected by this storm. Volunteers of America - Greater Baton Rouge, 3765 Government, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and prayers. It is an awesome task.

 

[sweetinmaine]

Hi DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP,

Glad you and your family made it out safe. Our thought and prayers go out to all the victims. DW and I want to help out. We will be giving to a nearby shelter or to the American Red Cross. We would like to volunteer to help some of the victims coming to the Astrodome. I will checking in to that today.

If you need anything, send me a PM.

Jim.

Jim,
I've seen the news reports and seeing the children just breaks my heart. Is there someone or someplace that we can send donations of baby food, formula, diapers, clothes directly to? Is it possible to send boxes to the Astrodome? Our local RedCross says send money. I can do that through work and it will be matched. Any ideas on who I should contact? Thank you.

 

[sweetinmaine]

It is so heartwarming to come to these boards and see that fellow DIS members are thinking about us. We live in Metarie, La which is a suburb right outside of New Orleans. We evacuated to Houston on Sunday and the people in this city have been remarkable. Someone in the hotel lobby tonight asked me if I was from Louisiana and paid for our room for 7 nights. At this point we are trying to decide where to set up our temp home and where to enroll our 2 boys in school. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe this would happen to us.

I have contemplated calling MS to see if they have a studio we can have for a month. I think we have enought points but I don't know about work. Both DH and I work for local New Orleans companys.

Hoping any other DISers from New Orleans have gotten out safe and sound.

I am so glad that you are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP]

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I received good news last night that our house does not have water in it. No word on wind damage. On Monday morning at 6 a.m. we will be allowed in to grab what we can and be out by dusk and are not to return for at least a month. The big question is will it be safe to go in. Right now I am sickened and embarassed by the scum that is left in the city. I pray for those stuck on their roofs and consider my family blessed.

I am happy to hear that toonerics family is safe and sound.

I just wish someone would just tell us where to start. This is quite the humbling experience.

 

[magicalmcwho]

Hi sweetinmaine,

I dont know about sending boxes of food/items to the Astrodome. I just saw the link this morning on the news asking for voluteers for the Astrodome. Tried this afternoon to sign up and the website was down. I will check to see if they would accept shipments of donatations and where to send them. They have been telling us here to just give money to American Red Cross, Salvation Army and others.

Jim.

 

[eliza61]

I always knew DVC members were special people, these last couple of post just proves it. As a member who has a couple of dogs, I like to also suggest if people are looking for other ways to help, please consider donating to the Louisiana SPCA. I know with all the horrid news about the human suffering, it may seem a little shallow to worry about dogs & cats right now but some times your pets are an important part of your family.
Please send your prayers & thoughts to our friends in the south.

Eliza

 

[kristielee]

Don't know if any of you have seen this, but I just found this website www.networkforgood.org and it has links to every charitable organization you can think of (inc Red Cross) to help the Katrina victims and more. If we all just give a little bit, we can help so many. I too would be interested in donating pts.

 

[JimMIA]

Jim,
I've seen the news reports and seeing the children just breaks my heart. Is there someone or someplace that we can send donations of baby food, formula, diapers, clothes directly to? Is it possible to send boxes to the Astrodome? Our local RedCross says send money. I can do that through work and it will be matched. Any ideas on who I should contact? Thank you.

I can give you some input based on our experiences in Hurricane Andrew.

By far, the best thing you could donate is money. Recovery agencies like the Red Cross and Salvation Army can assess their real needs on the ground, and use that money to buy what they need. We can't possibly know what the most pressing needs are, or anticipate what the needs may be 6-8 months from now.

Be sure, if you donate money, that you are donating directly to the charity of your choice, NEVER contribute to anyone who solicits you by phone. Most of those calls are bogus, and the ones who are "legit" are charging the charities at least 60% of the money they collect.

It is natural for people to want to donate food and other necessary items. To be honest, doing that detracts from the recovery effort unless you do as someone did on another thread. They live in Houston, called a shelter and asked specifically what they needed, and then went and bought it.

If you donate goods any other way than that, you are just creating a pile of stuff - most of which is not needed - which the recovery teams have to devote manpower to receiving, inventorying, storing (and they have nowhere to store things), possibly distributing...and at the end of the day, throwing the stuff you donated away. Those kind of donations, however well-intended, hurt the recovery effort.

 

[RWinNOLA]

Thanks to all of those who are offering help......so much is needed.

I am grateful that all of my family made it through the storm safely and feel so badly for those stranded in the city. I can't understand why the federal aid (military and otherwise) seems so slow in coming.

I live in Mandeville on the Northshore of New Orleans. We didn't flood but a tree fell thru my roof and we have pretty significant structural and water damage.

My company has an office in Houston and is trying to add office space to accomodate our NOLA office employees so I will most likely be taking my family to Houston for a few months.

I too am thinking of taking the family to Disney for a week or so if we can get reservations after things settle down a little bit. We have reservations for a December trip but that may end up being a pretty bad time as work / school may be just getting back to normal around that time.

Thanks again to all of you for your thoughts and prayers for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

[wtpclc]

RWinNOLA - So glad that you and your family are safe. I just saw a thread on the Runmors and News Boards that WDW is pretty empty this week. SOUnds like a happy break in teh middle of the chaos. (I know it will still be hard not to think of what the coming months will entail though.)

 

[mbb]

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I received good news last night that our house does not have water in it. No word on wind damage. On Monday morning at 6 a.m. we will be allowed in to grab what we can and be out by dusk and are not to return for at least a month. The big question is will it be safe to go in. Right now I am sickened and embarassed by the scum that is left in the city. I pray for those stuck on their roofs and consider my family blessed.

I am happy to hear that toonerics family is safe and sound.

I just wish someone would just tell us where to start. This is quite the humbling experience.

Feeling teary for you...take care, stay safe on Monday - we'll be thinking of all of you...

 

[lllovell]

RW - good to see more and more people that got out safely. I am glad your company is working on getting you all relocated for a bit. I just keep thinking that the baby steps will start falling into place and little by little, things will recover. As with any loss in your life, "normal" is never the old normal again, but the new normal if you are with those you love will be fine too after a while - so please hang in there!

Born2Shop - they won't let anyone back into the city before things are under control I am sure. Its GOING to happen soon. The evacuations are not going to be over for some time (because people aren't anxious to leave the places that didn't flood so I think there are thousands of more people than they even realize). I am glad it sounds like you might have been on the good end of things as far as the flooding. As much as you are angered/frustrated/embarrassed by the behavior of such a small group there right now, please know that those people are not effecting how the rest of us feel about everyone else! They make me sick and I believe that their time will come. (I, like everyone else I am sure, understand "looting" for food and water and medical supplies, etc....but I hope those looting to take things that they feel like they have the right to steal find themselves at the bottom of a brick pile! I mean it...and I am a loving, caring, liberal bleeding heart kind of person who never wishes bad on anyone. Same for those animals hurting others in the same conditions as themselves. I believe they will get theirs.) Just know that those of us on the outside looking in are wanting to do so much and are heartbroken for everyone in NO and the gulf coast that needs our hope/love/support, etc. Hopefully the Federal Govt is hearing everyone in this country screaming and things will start moving much more quickly for immediate relief from food and water shortages.

I wish I could give more than a donation somehow - even just a hug....know you are all in our hearts.

 

[lsutiggeratwk]

Please don't forget about donations to the Volunteers of America also. (SEe post #21). It is a wonderful organization and has affiliates across the US. If anyone would like more info you can send me a pm.

And be reminded that this is going to be a long recovery. Donations will probably be needed to all non-profit agencies for the next few months.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[lulu71]

I have contemplated calling MS to see if they have a studio we can have for a month. I think we have enought points but I don't know about work. Both DH and I work for local New Orleans companys.

Hoping any other DISers from New Orleans have gotten out safe and sound.

I have contemplated calling MS to see if they have a studio we can have for a month. I think we have enought points but I don't know about work. Both DH and I work for local New Orleans companys.

Hoping any other DISers from New Orleans have gotten out safe and sound.

I can attest that they will absolutely try to get you something. I am currently "living" at OKW through the 11th, maybe longer depending on DH's company and where they are going to set up temporary shop. I've got points, my parents who are with us are also members and they have points too, so we figure we might as well use them. The staffs at BWV, where we stayed for the first couple of days, and OKW (Nancy and Linda rock!) have been absolutely wonderful! I'm sure they are sick of getting all of our faxes from insurance, etc., but they have been just incredibly gracious. Alfredo at BWV checked on us and pointed out another family at the resort who were also in the same situation we're in, so it was nice to talk to others from home to see how they are doing.

If anyone talks to Eric (tooneric) and he decides to come to WDW, PM me and I will give you my information so maybe we can get in touch when he gets here. Same for you DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP, if you come just PM me. We cooked up some red beans and rice, so come on by!

 

[DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP]

As of this morning it looks as if my company will be re-locating me to Tampa until we can get back up and running in Metairie. DH is being re-located to South Carolina. I am taking the kids with me and enrolling them in school in Tampa. My 13 yo is very nervous about this but I told him to look at the bright side-we will only be an hour from Disney and can make some weekend visits.

There have been volunteers at our hotel for the last 2 days preparing meals for us. We have been given cases of water, non-perishable food items, games for the kids, school bags, pencils, WalMart gift card,etc. I agree with other posters that monetary donations are best as the organizations can assess everyone's needs. One thing that we received that I have never thought of donating before but we were in need of was paper products (plates, cups, knives, paper towels). Those things are like gold when you are living in a hotel room. When you are thinking of things to donate, just imagine that you went on vacation and didn't pack a thing and you don't have access to money. That pretty much sums up the needs.

We are cetainly blessed as all of our family and friends got out. Our house doesn't have any significant damage that we know of and we still have jobs for now.

Same for you DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP, if you come just PM me. We cooked up some red beans and rice, so come on by

If we make a pitt stop in WDW, I will be sure to PM you. I could use some red beans and rice.

 

[Doc and Family]

Glad to see some of my fellow Louisianans made it out.
I recently (June) relocated to Mobile--job thing.
My entire family resides (resided) in St. Bernard Parish.
Every one of them had their houses completely submerged by the flood waters.
Thank God they all left and went to Houston.
Soon, I will have an additional 17 people in my house in Mobile.
We will get by-at least they are all alive.
Our prayers go out to those who are still waiting to be rescued.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE WONDERFUL DVCers/DISers for their enormous generosity. My family here on the DIS is absolutely the best!