I'm going to try to post some good news - there are some amazing people

[meganmonkey]

in this country.

I work at a hunger relief organization that covers a county in Michigan. By nature of my deskwork-oriented position, I tend to be the one answering the phones.

I have received so many calls today from people who want to help. People are AMAZING! Kind, wonderful people who can't stand what they are seeing and want to fix it.

Some of them are groups - lots of churches (yes, these horrible faith-based organizations we keep hearing about - please keep the judgments about federal funding out of this thread), student groups, individuals, wanting to know what they can do to help. A woman with a few dozen cases of infant formula, a guy with a few extra rows of potatoes at his farm.

Others are just itching to go down there and looking for advice or connections. One guy has a vacant house up here in MI, and a truck, and he is going down there with water and food to drop off and wants to pick up some folks to bring back to live in his empty house.

I have a group of friends who are on their way down there in a school bus filled with water and food a generator and some other supplies. They don't care where they end up, or that 'officials' are telling people to not just show up - they just hope that they can deliver the food and maybe help transport people - whether it's in Baton Rouge or Biloxi or just wherever they see some thirsty, hungry, homeless people.

Another call I got was from some guy spearheading a project to get 3 semi trucks full of food and water and medical supplies donated from a couple of big local and national distributors. He has almost everything ready but he wanted to coordinate with the national food bank network (America's Second Harvest) to find out where to go. I was able to give him the direct line to the woman handling that. He plans on leaving before the end of the day.

I have broken into tears after several of these phone calls, because the passion these people feel to help is so encouraging. By the end of the conversation, we are usually both crying.

I know that in many cases, it is too late. I know that there has been a heartbreaking amount of unnecessary loss because of FEMA and bushco's incompetence. I know that people like this shouldn't HAVE to do this jsut because the gov't screwed up.

Our government is fucking embarrassing right now - but the American people can't watch people suffer like this and sit back. So they are getting off their asses and organizing and helping. And it is a beautiful thing to behold.

So here is to those heroes, the ones who can't sit still and watch their fellow Americans die. And to the wonderful DUers who have posted their plans to volunteer with Red Cross and everything else.

These people are America's Hope. These are the people who can help make this nation the magnificent place it should be.


:toast:

[meganmonkey]

1. Kick

Selfish kick - I got some noms but no comments so I'll try again :)

[spooked911]

2. I'm sure they are great people but how many voted for Bush?

I bet way too many.

That's a problem.

[meganmonkey]

4. I should have known that would happen

Simple, positive news is just too much for people to take I guess.

For the record, I work in a VERY blue county, about 70% Kerry voters, so there ya go.

[4 t 4]

7. Oh, I kind of doubt

any of them. People who voted for IT wouldn't do these types of things! I know thats not true but it felt good to say.

[AlCzervik]

3. I think that the hospital staff that stayed behind are amazing

those are the people that should also be acknowledged.

[meganmonkey]

5. Yes, I read a post earlier about that

not only do they deserve acknowledgment, they need to be rescued too!

Scary stuff - extremely brave people!

[intheflow]

6. You're on the Greatest Page now.

I was nomination #5. Thank you for all the good work you do! :applause:

[meganmonkey]

8. And thank you for your encouragement

you are very kind! As I said yesterday, I feel very lucky to work where I do!

:hug: