Hurricane Refugee Help

Kimberly Dow · 09-05-2005, 10:16 PM

This is Vada everyone. I've been spelling her name wrong.

Patricia Joyce · 09-06-2005, 09:28 AM

God bless her and God bless you, Kim, too!!

Kimberly Dow · 09-06-2005, 08:21 PM

I had to post one more update...

today the folks over at the Nell arte forum got online and searched while I typed in names of missing folks while the survivors were right in front of me. I think we located 30 families or so. Unfortunatly we crashed the site, but it should be back up soon. It was a good day.

Linda Brandon · 09-06-2005, 09:00 PM

Kim, you are doing a terrific job down there!

This is wonderful to hear.( I will email you.)

Phoenix is turning volunteers away from our refugee site and has set up dropoff centers. Access to computers would be a great thing for displaced people to have.

Kimberly Dow · 09-06-2005, 09:09 PM

Linda,

Let me tell you a secret -

they were telling volunteeers not to go down to ours as well - but see - I grabbed a tag and pretended like I knew what I was doing and just marched in.

A lot of these folks wont ASK, but if you ask them what they need - they will tell you. Thats how I realized that so many still didnt know where family was. There is no organized thing of folks with computers, but I havent been the only one so far - just brilliant people who thought of it and just go down I guess. They did nab me today for having a Red Cross sticker on and made me take it off. What? am I making the Red Cross look bad or something?

Edit - I should say - Ive been there since saturday and I wasnt trying to buck authority (well, maybe a little) see - the situation is this - plenty of volunteers to serve, do medical stuff, organize the donations, etc. But hardly ANY were interacting with the survivors one on one. The survivors are still in the dark and are not getting direction. They have out-going phones to use - but there is not one data base to call or search for loved ones - there are hundreds! So, its very confusing and there are many sitting in their cots needing things, but not knowing who to ask.

I have to say - they are moving though - many were taken out today to look at apartments and such - so they are getting placed. It's just the one-on-one that seems to be missing. Especially for the ones who are illiterate. I had many today who didnt know the spelling of their own relatives names and we had to guess. We found a lot of them though.

Mary Reilly · 09-07-2005, 12:19 AM

Kim,
What are your thoughts on art supplies?
I've heard alot of mention about art therapy over the years, and I am wondering if it might be helpful if art supplies were given to them, particularly the 7 to 12 year olds that you mentioned. Perhaps some of them would like to draw and it would help their emotional well being. If you would be able to pass art supplies on, I would be happy to send some. Perhaps sketch books and colored pencils. I know some people wouldn't think art supplies very practical, but for what these people have been through I think it could help the sanity of some of them.
Let me know what you think about this, since you have been interacting with them.
Mary

Kimberly Dow · 09-07-2005, 12:47 AM

Mary,

I have seen a lot of kids coloring in coloring books, even the older ones - but there seems to be plenty of those in supply where I am anyway.

I dont know - you may be right, but they are still focused on survival at this point - and finding loved ones. They are actually moving them out to more permanent housing rather quickly as well. That is the thing that impresses me the most. So many folks already are in apartments.

If you wanted to donate some, I'd say 'go for it'. Perhaps though - you could send it directly to a childrens home? I can get you the address of one here in CC that took in 45 orphans from New Orleans.