Katrina Relief Information

[Guest guest]

Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,

 

I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National

Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most states. A

central Katrina Relief Group was set up for coordinators as

well.

 

Some of you may or may not know, that St. Louis is no longer

receiving evacuees as originally planned. I heard that this had also

happened in Oregon. WE just found out a couple of days ago. HOWEVER,

please do not be upset. Everyone who sent donations to St. Louis

Family Church via my email: all donations are making their way to the

hurricane survivors in Louisiana and Mississippi. Be assured that

your time, money and effort IS helping Hurricane Katrina survivors in

areas that needed it the most.

 

I just talked with a business friend and have some information that

might help on locating/helping evacuees in any state you live in.

Many are being moved into communities to live with friends or family

or other housing. I know in Missouri it is estimated that around

8,000 have moved into our area.

 

My friend is a Director for the EODD (Eastern Oklahoma Development

District Agency on Aging-gotta love these short titles) in Muskogee,

Oklahoma. They are placing seniors who are displaced by

Katrina. One senior was placed with family in Oregon. Many survivors

are going into areas where the Red Cross is not too helpful on what

they are supposed to receive in relief. There seems to be

communication issues. FEMA is supposed to give each family $2,000.

That's great if it's a family of one. But the same amount goes to a

family of 6, 8 or 10! We have heard only those in Texas are starting

to receive this.

 

She has given me the following suggestions on locating and helping

those in our communities:

 

PLACES TO LOCATE EVACUEES THAT ARE LIVING IN YOUR AREA:

 

LOCAL SCHOOLS-she said the principals would know if there are

students in the school that were displaced. They must get permission

from the family for you to communicate with them. But these families

need everything. Linda said her daughter came home from school and

said that there was a new boy at school from the hurricane.

 

LOCAL RED CROSS CHAPTERS-they are telling evacuees when they are

moved to contact the local Red Cross. However we do not know if they

are all doing this. If they do, they will have a list of displaced

families and individuals so that you can adopt them.

 

MINISTEREAL ALLIANCE-this is a group of ministers that meet in most

communities

 

SHELTERS-if your area has evacuees that were brought to these.

 

Your Satsang can probably adopt a family in your own area. They are

somewhat "hidden" among us since agencies are getting them placed

with families or other housing arrangements rather than in some of

the shelters. So we need to be creative in areas that think that they

don't have evacuees. They probably do so be sure to contact agencies

to find them.

 

WHAT IS NEEDED BY MANY FAMILIES:

-money for utility deposits

-money for used cars. The families have no way in getting around.

-more CLOTHES/COATS. The Red Cross is being very stingy with

donations. They give vouchers for survivors to get 5 pairs of pants,

5 shirts, etc. Many are displaced to colder climates and are not

getting vouchers for much needed coats.

-cleaning supplies-brooms, mops, etc for newly placed

-baby clothes, diapers, formula

-toiletries remain high on list along with towels, washcloths and

undergarments

-hygiene products

 

My friend is working at Camp Gruber which has about 700 people left.

I know one place to send donations is directly to-this is someone I

know so it will go directly to evacuees:

EODD (this is Eastern Ok. Development District)

ATTN Linda Miller

1012 North 38th Street

Muskogee, OK 74401

 

You can email her at caregivers Put in subject line:

PC KATRINA (since she knows me through my business PC will help her

take is from the junk mail box)

 

Linda is going to also provide me with contacts for Texas. The last

time I

talked on a Satsang conference call, one person from a Texas Satsang

was so busy helping victims that he was not even able to check

emails. Maybe someone can post where we can send donations to Texas

since they have probably one of the greatest needs at this time.

 

She shared a story of a 73 yr old man who had lost everything. AT the

shelter, she had to wake him up to see what he needed. He never asked

for anything and was glad for what he had. She said he had been a

hard worker all of his life. As she drove him around, they saw a

church and he remarked what a pretty church it was. He then asked

her, "Do you know where your church is?" She said, "Yes, of course"

thinking he meant a "building" in the city. He said, "No, not there.

Church is in your heart. Whenever I wanted to go to church when

things got bad, I went to my heart because God is there." I just

wanted to share this beautiful story. He was placed in Portland,

Oregon and I'm sending the local Satsang his contact information so

that they can perhaps "adopt" him and help him out.

 

I hope this information was helpful.

 

thanks,

Namah Shivaya,

Adriane Bradley

St. Louis Area Satsang

[Guest guest]

on 9/17/05 10:06 PM, Adriane at a1driane wrote:

 

> Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,

>

> I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National

> Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most states.

 

Who is the national coordinator? Here's a press release we wrote today for

an event we're planning. If you can think of anything that should be added

or that needs correcting, please tell me:

 

New Orleans Chef Coming to Fairfield for Hurricane Benefit Dinner

 

Professional New Orleans chef Kirk Bernhardt will cook a benefit dinner on

Saturday, 7 pm, October 1 at Morningstar Studio to benefit hurricane

victims. Kirk himself is a hurricane evacuee. Even though he doesn't know

the condition of his own home, he has agreed to come to Fairfield and

prepare a delicious New Orleans style meal.

 

The planned menu is as follows: Salad with Creole Mustard/Steen's Cane Syrup

dressing, choice of Shrimp Creole or Vegetable Jambalaya, and Congo Style

Bread Pudding with Dark Rum sauce. This will be served in a festive New

Orleans atmosphere.

 

Kirk learned Creole cooking at some of New Orleans' finest and most famous

restaurants: Commander's Palace, The Grill Room at Windsor Court, Mr. B's

and K-Paul's. Before the Hurricane he was a chef at two restaurants and

immediately before it he was teaching cooking classes at Blain Kern's Mardi

Gras World, which is where all the Mardi Gras floats are made. It is said

that the Mardi Gras would not roll without Blain Kerns.

 

Kirk lived in Fairfield in the 1980's. He and his wife were in Vermont when

the hurricane hit, and have been unable to return home since. Kirk is happy

to report that his part of town was not inundated, so if his house wasn¹t

damaged by wind, flooded by rain, or ransacked by looters, he'll have a home

to return to when residents are allowed to reenter the city. He's hoping

that the people caring for his beloved pet parrots were able to keep them

alive.

 

This event is being sponsored by the Amma Fairfield Center. 100% of the

proceeds from the dinner will be used for Katrina relief, and unpaid

volunteers, both locally and at the site of the disaster, perform all work.

Advance ticket purchase is encouraged and will be available at Thymely

Solutions. You may also call 472-7148 (Coralie Brook) for advance tickets.

Dinner tickets bought in advance will be a minimum donation of $20 ($10 for

children). Tickets at the door will be $23 minimum donation ($12 for

children). If you are unable to attend the dinner but would still like to

donate, please send checks to Amma Fairfield Center, P.O. Box 1332,

Fairfield, IA 52556, made payable to M. A. Center. Credit Cards will be

accepted for donations over $50.

The Amma Fairfield Center is one of many groups around the world affiliated

with Mata Amritanandamayi Math. With branch centers worldwide, M. A. Math &

affiliates are focused on vast array of charitable efforts, including

disaster relief. M.A. Math was founded by the world-renowned humanitarian

and spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, and was recently granted special

NGO consultative status by the United Nations. Amma is known throughout the

world for her humanitarian work and for inspiring thousands of people to

follow her message of practicing Love, Compassion and Selfless service to

all, crossing all barriers of religion, race and nationality.

M. A. Centers in the U.S. are providing immediate relief and planning

long-term support for Hurricane Katrina victims.

* Amma's Arkansas center was among the first to swing into action, helping

hundreds of victims from Louisiana since the tragedy on August 29.

Volunteers are visiting shelters every day, providing emotional counseling

and vocational guidance, and helping the survivors find housing and get

familiarized with the local area.

* The Dallas and Houston Amma Centers have been very much involved in

helping the evacuees from the beginning, both independently and in

collaboration with the Red Cross and other relief organizations. Volunteers

are distributing supplies, helping evacuees connect with educational and

vocational opportunities, and providing medical care. The Dallas Amma Center

has donated a large quantity of food and clothing to the hurricane

survivors.

* A team of qualified volunteers from the California M. A. Center, including

doctors who helped with tsunami relief work in India, has been in Houston

since Sep. 9.

* Many other states are welcoming evacuees and more are still arriving. M.

A. Center affiliates in Oklahoma, Missouri, California and Minnesota, as

well as Iowa, are helping both directly and through fund-raising efforts.

 

Here in Fairfield, last weekend's yard sale raised $1667, volunteers are

receiving formal Red Cross training and certification to be able to help in

this and future disasters, several participants in the Amma group have gone

or are going to the Gulf Coast to help directly, and of course, the upcoming

dinner is expected to raise considerable support for hurricane victims.

[Guest guest]

The National Coordinator is Arun in New York. There is supposed to be

a Hurricane Katrina Relief coordinator in every state. Arun has set

up the and was appointed by Swamiji Dayamrita. I can send

you the link for your satsang in the event you don't have a

coordinator yet. I know they want information like what your hosting.

Sounds great!!! I wish I could come and eat!!! LOVE New Awleans

food!! The best! Oregon Satsang is gathered tonight to put together

donations.

 

Additional info:

Several Amma devotees from across the country donated money, time and

personal donations which they have sent to St. Louis and because we

are not getting evacuees here, all donations are now going to

Louisiana and Mississippi where the need is so great. Items such as

backpacks, school supplies and basic toiletry items, baby needs, art

therapy supplies, uplifting videos, clothing and more are currently

being taken to the devasted areas.

 

Adriane

 

 

Ammachi, Rick Archer <rick@s...> wrote:

> on 9/17/05 10:06 PM, Adriane at a1driane@s... wrote:

>

> > Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,

> >

> > I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National

> > Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most

states.

>

> Who is the national coordinator? Here's a press release we wrote

today for

> an event we're planning. If you can think of anything that should

be added

> or that needs correcting, please tell me:

>

> New Orleans Chef Coming to Fairfield for Hurricane Benefit Dinner

>

> Professional New Orleans chef Kirk Bernhardt will cook a benefit

dinner on

> Saturday, 7 pm, October 1 at Morningstar Studio to benefit hurricane

> victims. Kirk himself is a hurricane evacuee. Even though he

doesn't know

> the condition of his own home, he has agreed to come to Fairfield

and

> prepare a delicious New Orleans style meal.

>

> The planned menu is as follows: Salad with Creole Mustard/Steen's

Cane Syrup

> dressing, choice of Shrimp Creole or Vegetable Jambalaya, and Congo

Style

> Bread Pudding with Dark Rum sauce. This will be served in a festive

New

> Orleans atmosphere.

>

> Kirk learned Creole cooking at some of New Orleans' finest and most

famous

> restaurants: Commander's Palace, The Grill Room at Windsor Court,

Mr. B's

> and K-Paul's. Before the Hurricane he was a chef at two restaurants

and

> immediately before it he was teaching cooking classes at Blain

Kern's Mardi

> Gras World, which is where all the Mardi Gras floats are made. It

is said

> that the Mardi Gras would not roll without Blain Kerns.

>

> Kirk lived in Fairfield in the 1980's. He and his wife were in

Vermont when

> the hurricane hit, and have been unable to return home since. Kirk

is happy

> to report that his part of town was not inundated, so if his house

wasn¹t

> damaged by wind, flooded by rain, or ransacked by looters, he'll

have a home

> to return to when residents are allowed to reenter the city. He's

hoping

> that the people caring for his beloved pet parrots were able to

keep them

> alive.

>

> This event is being sponsored by the Amma Fairfield Center. 100% of

the

> proceeds from the dinner will be used for Katrina relief, and unpaid

> volunteers, both locally and at the site of the disaster, perform

all work.

> Advance ticket purchase is encouraged and will be available at

Thymely

> Solutions. You may also call 472-7148 (Coralie Brook) for advance

tickets.

> Dinner tickets bought in advance will be a minimum donation of $20

($10 for

> children). Tickets at the door will be $23 minimum donation ($12 for

> children). If you are unable to attend the dinner but would still

like to

> donate, please send checks to Amma Fairfield Center, P.O. Box 1332,

> Fairfield, IA 52556, made payable to M. A. Center. Credit Cards

will be

> accepted for donations over $50.

> The Amma Fairfield Center is one of many groups around the world

affiliated

> with Mata Amritanandamayi Math. With branch centers worldwide, M.

A. Math &

> affiliates are focused on vast array of charitable efforts,

including

> disaster relief. M.A. Math was founded by the world-renowned

humanitarian

> and spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, and was recently

granted special

> NGO consultative status by the United Nations. Amma is known

throughout the

> world for her humanitarian work and for inspiring thousands of

people to

> follow her message of practicing Love, Compassion and Selfless

service to

> all, crossing all barriers of religion, race and nationality.

> M. A. Centers in the U.S. are providing immediate relief and

planning

> long-term support for Hurricane Katrina victims.

> * Amma's Arkansas center was among the first to swing into action,

helping

> hundreds of victims from Louisiana since the tragedy on August 29.

> Volunteers are visiting shelters every day, providing emotional

counseling

> and vocational guidance, and helping the survivors find housing and

get

> familiarized with the local area.

> * The Dallas and Houston Amma Centers have been very much involved

in

> helping the evacuees from the beginning, both independently and in

> collaboration with the Red Cross and other relief organizations.

Volunteers

> are distributing supplies, helping evacuees connect with

educational and

> vocational opportunities, and providing medical care. The Dallas

Amma Center

> has donated a large quantity of food and clothing to the hurricane

> survivors.

> * A team of qualified volunteers from the California M. A. Center,

including

> doctors who helped with tsunami relief work in India, has been in

Houston

> since Sep. 9.

> * Many other states are welcoming evacuees and more are still

arriving. M.

> A. Center affiliates in Oklahoma, Missouri, California and

Minnesota, as

> well as Iowa, are helping both directly and through fund-raising

efforts.

>

> Here in Fairfield, last weekend's yard sale raised $1667,

volunteers are

> receiving formal Red Cross training and certification to be able to

help in

> this and future disasters, several participants in the Amma group

have gone

> or are going to the Gulf Coast to help directly, and of course, the

upcoming

> dinner is expected to raise considerable support for hurricane

victims.