Post Katrina Employment

[Celebration]

Most of the New Orleans people in Memphis are the working middle class who now have no jobs. Some are having trouble proving credentials (New Orleans University is under water, previous employers are under water).

However, here is one story that got to me while processing people at the Red Cross. A twenty one year old adorable guy is separated from every member of his family. He had been working at Home Depot in New Orleans, but is currently in a shelter in a church. When Home Depot in Memphis was contacted, the answer way, well, we are sorry but we have no openings. On the other hand, Shell Oil is asking all employees to contact the human services department to see how they can help out (the ad is not specific). I would love to see some media pressure put on the large companies with resources to hire their displaced workers......whether there are openings or not. I can't really blame the Memphis Home Depot people-- this just needs to be company wide policy. The only reason I am singling HD out is that this is the one case I know about.

I am not a very good organizer, and am not really in contact with this young man now--so I am speaking in general terms. What can we do about this?

By the way, the large fundie churches are really doing a good job with this here, (along with the Red Cross). So their monumental churches are good for something.