Cobb

Arrived here (almost an hour ago!) via the ConvergeSouth pages. My garage has spilled over into a self-storage unit -- any ideas on where to send the stuff? There's furniture in there too....Anybody know someone who deals in second hand shipping containers? I'm thinking one stone, two birds.

I'm naive when it comes to something like this, but where would we send clothes and stuff if we don't have the money to contribute through Episcopal?

For example I have a big rubber maid bin full of clothes i've been meaning to donate to the salvation army ever since I've moved to a new house two months ago, and now I think I should donate them to these people who have lost everything but I don't know how to get my stuff down there.

I'm only asking you becuase you mentioned boxing up clothes and supplies and shipping it down there. I really don't know much about charity besides seeing the Salvation Army center down the street from where I work.

I'm assuming that FexEx and/or DHL / Airborne / UPS is going to have some kind of program to ship stuff free.

At this particular moment Fedex is looking for their own employees in Louisiana and Mississippi, so they won't have any such general program until they get their own house in order. In the meantime, FedEx is shipping care packages for free from family members. So we're gathering things for specific folks we've identified on the ground. But we'll probably have more later - I'll put together a specific list of what kinds of things that I know the Red Cross, etc will NOT be providing that will nevertheless be useful.

I'm also thinking that gift certificates to Costco and Target are going to be in big demand.

Here is a quick link to, Hurricane Katrina African American Relief Resources. The site lists resources and assorted information for African Americans to assist African American communities, institutions and people devestated by Hurricane Katrina. Thank you.
Please pass it on.
http://helpresources.blogspot.com/

The urge to help is commendable, and you should surely donate your unwanted / outgrown stuff...locally.

It takes volunteer time to sort, process, label & otherwise attend to your unwanted stuff.

If you really want to help, send as much money as you can. Money is always more useful than used stuff.

Donate blood, too. Blood and blood products will be in short supply.

You can always look a a sister church -- so you are Episcopalian, find an Episcopalian church in an affected area, and send money.

Sorry to be so stern and all, but just think about it for a minute.

You're right Liz, and my wife corrected me all day about this, practical wizard that she is. Right now, we're just doing cash, and then we're sending stuff to the local Salvation Army knowing that they'll probably pitch in their way.

This is the same kind of logistical lesson that I had already forgotten from 9/11 and Iraq. Get cash to the aid workers and they'll make the determination on the ground. They don't have time to sort through our junk. Still, the junk will come in handy later on down the road.

My issue is all of the 130 million dollars that was raised as of today - is not being deployed to help the Thousands and Thousands of Refugees being turned away from Houston - Are the Agencies like Red Cross, Salvation Army, and FEMA cross communicating??

Makes sense. I'll just send money, and take the clothes to the Salvation Army.

I cant understand why it took so long to find out about your site. Great stuff Cobb. your also blogrolled

Best Regards

Lance