Help! Hubby and I want to make a contribution to relief effort

[redwitch]

but don't know who to give the donation to. As it was unfolding we made a donation to the American Red Cross- and then felt like it was a mistake. We made a contribution to Humane Society at that time too. But now we would like to donate again as the work is ongoing and so many are hurting and will be for a long time. Any ideas? Who is doing the most good down there?

[funkybutt]

1. I'll keep looking into this

i was frustrated with the Red Cross at first b/c I couldn't get through to them. But since then they've been helping. They serve thousands of meals every day. I've had a few of them. The salvation army is here as well as Common Ground, which offers clinics and a special focus on the ninth ward.

For music you could donate to the Tipitinas foundation, which I know have been very helpful to musicians, replacing lost instruments, providing housing, and office use.

Habitat for Humanity has a monumental task on their hands. I really like that organization and I've seen some historic new orleans shotgun style house plans that architects donated. I inted to donate my time to habitat.


there are more...but can't think of them right now.

[redwitch]

2. Thank you, helpful info.

I never heard of Tipitinas, I will check them out. On edit, I just googled them. This is perfect. Our son is a musician, this is something we could do in his honor. Thanks again! There are so many organizations that are taking care of so many different aspects of people's needs. Our small donation won't go far but put it together with the contributions of hundreds , thousands of people and it does make a difference.

[funkybutt]

3. I saw Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson there Saturday

Great live music venue. The foundation is a separate financial entity.

If you'd like to take the music route, I'd also turn you on to www.wwoz.org, they need all the help they can get. Tune into their webbroadcast and enjoy!

[HeeBGBz]

5. I so very much wanted to attend one of those Arlo concerts

On the City of New Orleans run.

Was it awesome? I saw him here last February. This is also the 40th anniversary Alice's Restaurant Massacree tour.

[funkybutt]

7. Awesome, Amazing, Beautiful, Uplifting...all of those things

it was great. Arlo and Willy brought their daughters who were a big part of the show. It was nothing like what I had expected. Great show indeed!

[HeeBGBz]

9. Willie too

I forgot about that. Now I'm doubly sorry I missed it.

[funkybutt]

6. glad to have been able to help

There's lots of struggling musicians here and fewer venues. Most have been forced to take up residence outside of town including the Nevilles.

Every dollar counts...one of my neighbors got a tipitinas grant. I think it's a good choice for a music lover.

[redwitch]

11. How are you faring?

Do you have decent housing? Work? I know there were some DUers who lost everything to Katrina, were you one of them?

[funkybutt]

13. I'm hanging in there

"We got 2 feet" (something we say down here..heh)

We lost most of our possessions but we were insured. Now we're renting a little apartment and using found furniture until we can get our house fixed and move back in. It's gutted right now, but we've got plans and many of our neighbors are coming back, too.

We're lucky compared to so many. It's tough..has it's ups and downs, but we're pressing on.

[redwitch]

16. Glad you are optimistic- and that your neighbors are too.

Very glad you had insurance too!

[HeeBGBz]

4. If nothing else, drop something into the Salvation Army bucket

They were some of the first visible signs of relief feeding everyone right after the storm. Under normal conditions, they do a lot for the destitute.

I would like to know some other place that I could trust that would directly effect and help those-who-need-help-immediately-if-not-sooner.

[redwitch]

8. I do donate to them.

And I never pass a kettle w/o dropping something in, even in times when I didn't have it to spare.

[HeeBGBz]

10. I can't pass one this year either.

[redwitch]

12. Nice to meetcha

HeeBGBz. :hi:

[HeeBGBz]

15. Likewise, redwitch

Thanks for wanting to help. Hopefully, we can find some good ways to help out our friends down south.

[funkybutt]

14. I'd like to find a non-profit that helps the elderly

I'm afraid they're the ones who could really get screwed in this deal b/c most were on fixed income with homes paid for. You're not required to carry flood insurance (in my area) if your home is paid for. This is why I'm particularly concerned about my elderly neighbors. Several of their homes haven't been touched. Still full of that wet rotting moldy furniture that over time, will ruin the struction from the inside

I'd love to help a non-profit that helps people like this.

[redwitch]

17. If you find it, please let me know

The film and photos of the elderly broke my heart. Will Habitat for Humanity help them?

[HeeBGBz]

18. The elderly were mostly forgotten

My son went out the day after the storm and he and some neighbors brought back a neighbor's 92 year old mother who treaded water through the storm. Her home on back bay was gutted. They found her crying on the front porch of a demolished house. She and her elderly gentleman friend stayed at the house where she'd lived for decades.

I don't know why she stayed there by the water instead of with the daughter other than the fact she didn't want to leave her home.

I'll never forget her. Her daughter was cleaning her up with water from the swimming pool. I ask her if she was okay. She held my hand and didn't let go. Even when they helped her back to her daughters house. There was so much feeling expressed in how she gripped my hand. It was like a mutual lifeline.

All those folks in nursing homes and even the old naval home residents (from what I gathered in a news report) were not evacuated before the storm.

[babylonsister]

19. Some suggestions here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=360x22

and here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=360x200

I wound up giving to Habitat for Humanity, because I can't bear the
thought of people still living in tents. :-(

[redwitch]

20. thank you babylonsister

Habitat is a great charity, we have given to them in the past. I too am sad to think of the people out there with no home to go to.