Time to stop flippin' out and start helpin' out
I heard a radio broadcaster use that expression on the radio and I can't agree more. The news is so devastating that I've mostly stopped watching it, or at least will take a break and watch a little of Little Britain or even a cartoon to decompress. These evacuees have expressed that they don't want to be referred to as refugees, but that is exactly what they are. Although their argument is that they are Americans and cannot be called refugees, I feel like the government has turned their back on them because they are the poorest of the nation and our governor isn't the brother of the President, so in a way they are in fact just refugees.
There are many ways that you can help. A lot of people down here have expressed frustration at the Red Cross because they have asked to volunteer or donate something and nobody will return their calls or give them specific information. So most of the help is being done by area churches and organizations, and benevolent residents with a heart. If you want to donate something whether it be money or items, email me and I can give you my address or the address or phone number of an area church that is simply taking donations, going to the store, buying the items themselves and taking them to the shelters, or I can do that myself. DH and I's church is cooking breakfasts and collecting clothing and items and taking them to specific shelters in the area. We're cooking breakfast at 5am tomorrow morning for one of the shelters and buying gallons of milk and orange juice to take with us.
A few shelters have asked specifically for paperback books for these people to read, bibles, coloring books and decks of cards. If you have anything like that and want to mail it, I can give you my address or their addresses, just email me.
And if you happen to live in this area, I have the number of someone to call who is organizing housing for these relief workers. They need places to sleep in between shifts of going out to work here. Right now a lot are camping out at the mall parking lot, with tents and port-a-potties. As soon as the people staying with us regain power at their baton rouge home, we'll have a few beds open here. If you're one of my friends or family, you're welcome to come stay here and help out yourselves. Especially if you're medical personnel. They need everybody. Even people to take care of the pets housed at the LSU agriculture center (and pet supplies).
And I hate to do it b/c of all the devastation that you already hear about, but I have one more sad story to share. My mom met this evacuee in the elevator at the hospital where she works, and one of the other nurses asked him about his family. He said that they are all right, they all escaped from the rooftop of his home - but his friends nearby did not fare as well. Four of their family members could not fit through the hole to the attic so they had to let them go and drown while the smaller younger members went to the roof to be rescued. Can you imagine?
There are many ways that you can help. A lot of people down here have expressed frustration at the Red Cross because they have asked to volunteer or donate something and nobody will return their calls or give them specific information. So most of the help is being done by area churches and organizations, and benevolent residents with a heart. If you want to donate something whether it be money or items, email me and I can give you my address or the address or phone number of an area church that is simply taking donations, going to the store, buying the items themselves and taking them to the shelters, or I can do that myself. DH and I's church is cooking breakfasts and collecting clothing and items and taking them to specific shelters in the area. We're cooking breakfast at 5am tomorrow morning for one of the shelters and buying gallons of milk and orange juice to take with us.
A few shelters have asked specifically for paperback books for these people to read, bibles, coloring books and decks of cards. If you have anything like that and want to mail it, I can give you my address or their addresses, just email me.
And if you happen to live in this area, I have the number of someone to call who is organizing housing for these relief workers. They need places to sleep in between shifts of going out to work here. Right now a lot are camping out at the mall parking lot, with tents and port-a-potties. As soon as the people staying with us regain power at their baton rouge home, we'll have a few beds open here. If you're one of my friends or family, you're welcome to come stay here and help out yourselves. Especially if you're medical personnel. They need everybody. Even people to take care of the pets housed at the LSU agriculture center (and pet supplies).
And I hate to do it b/c of all the devastation that you already hear about, but I have one more sad story to share. My mom met this evacuee in the elevator at the hospital where she works, and one of the other nurses asked him about his family. He said that they are all right, they all escaped from the rooftop of his home - but his friends nearby did not fare as well. Four of their family members could not fit through the hole to the attic so they had to let them go and drown while the smaller younger members went to the roof to be rescued. Can you imagine?
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