susanstinson: (Default)
susanstinson ([personal profile] susanstinson) wrote2005-09-04 08:00 pm

Hurricane response

Places I'm donating to now in response to the hurricane:

The Southern Mutual Help Organization. They've been doing strong, progressive work in support of people who work in the sugar cane fields and other poor rural Southern communities for many years. They have experience with providing housing, with past hurricanes, and with organizing in communities under enormous stress.

The NAACP Disaster Relief Fund, which states its mission as follows:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the NAACP has launched the Disaster Relief Fund to raise monies through its members and those citizens of good will who want to help. The funds raised will be used to: 1) provide immediate assistance to the worst affected victims, 2) mobilize resources to feed, cloth and shelter displaced victims, and 3) to ensure the equitable distribution of money and resources from Federal, state and local government and other relief agencies.

According to its community description, [livejournal.com profile] poor_planning is collecting facts, figures and research, with a precis for each link, to make the case that evacution planning discriminates against poor, ill and disabled people. This post is particularily detailed, broad in scope and disturbing.

There is a woman in Texas who needs donations of plus sized clothes for people displaced by the hurricane. Her first message mentioned 4-6X, but I've just heard that any size of large is needed. The place to send them:
April Maraville, 8000 Bell Aire Blvd. Building 14, UNit 8002, Apt 1204, Houston, TX 77036.

My parents, who I love and respect enormously despite our very different politics, spent the morning folding clothing donations to help to get ready for the 500 people displaced by the hurricane who are arriving on Tuesday to a church camp in their small Texas town.

[identity profile] roane.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
I'm glad to see April's address posted. I contacted her this weekend to get the information and she mentioned that some of the places she'd sent her request to reacted badly.

[identity profile] susanstinson.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm so sorry to hear there's been bad reactions -- and I'd forgotten that I saw this first on your lj -- a friend forwarded me the info. Would you consider checking out the info I just posted to laura below and passing on what you know about the needs of the folks that April is advocating for to [livejournal.com profile] bounce_n_jiggle? She's got another address in Houston, but I don't know if they're the same folks.

[identity profile] lauragl.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Susan thanks for these links, SOOOOO many of the aid groups out there are christian based, and while I am not against christian based groups per se, I dont think the ONLY place to get help should be church christian based!

[identity profile] susanstinson.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 07:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Food Not Bombs (http://www.foodnotbombs.net/katrina.html) is another group that's sounding good to me.

Just so you know, there are nuns in leadership at the Southern Mutual Self Help group. I respect the integrity and tenacity and radical approach and effectiveness of their work, but if it's important for you to know about the Christian elements of a group, you might want to know that.

[identity profile] lauragl.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I have been working with the Red Cross here in Austin and the austin shelter is also in desperate need of plus size clothing!

[identity profile] susanstinson.livejournal.com 2005-09-05 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Hi, Laura -- great to hear from you.

[livejournal.com profile] bounce_n_jiggle, who is the totally amazing NYC-based organizer (with her equally stunning friends) of the fat girl flea market (which raised thousands for scholarships to the Nolose conference and got great, cheap clothes that fit to hundreds of people) and who has great connections in the large-sized clothing world, is part of an effort being organized right now to get needed clothes to people. I just left a comment in her lj mentioning you, your fabulous work, and the need in Austin. Would you get in touch with her and give her the contact info for the shelter?

Info about the effort is also listed in [livejournal.com profile] fatshionista and probably soon will be in [livejournal.com profile] nolose, both of which are communities you might be interested in reading.