Host Families....

[alwayslisad]

Hello all ~

As my DH and I watch in awe the destruction of Hurricane Katrina - we wondered what we could do. I have sent Emails to FEMA and our local News Station and the Govenor of NH, offering to be a host family to a family/single person/couple/ children in need. I just noticed on the Yahoo site that the State of Utah is offering to house 1000 refugees. I think that is astonishing. I would think that ALL States should follow suite:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050901/ap_on_re_us/hurricane_katrina_utah_hk4

Utah May House 1,000 Hurricane Refugees By DEBBIE HUMMEL, Associated Press Writer

1 hour, 2 minutes ago



Utah is ready to accept up to 1,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Gov. Jon Huntsman said Wednesday. The state of Louisiana asked for help housing the refugees, he said.

"We did a quick calculation as to what we could accommodate immediately and we came up with 1,000," Huntsman said. "I'm glad Utah is seen as a community that will reach out charitably."

The displaced residents would likely stay in housing at the Army National Guard's Camp Williams in Draper or at an overflow shelter in Midvale, both Salt Lake City suburbs.

The state can provide such basic services as shelter, food, clothing and schooling for children.

It is not clear how soon people might be relocated to Utah, but once here they could stay for up to four months, Huntsman said.

He also said that Utah is prepared to send up to 200 Utah National Guard troops to the area immediately if needed.

The Utah departments of health, public safety and homeland security also are prepared to assist in rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts, he said.

"This could be the state of Utah we're talking about. We're doing it for our neighbors this time, but it could well have been Utah," Huntsman said.

Also Wednesday, pallets of sleeping bags and other relief supplies were transferred from the Mormon church's central storehouse to trucks headed to Louisiana and Mississippi. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 14 truckloads of supplies including food, water and tents en route to the hurricane-ravaged region.

And the Best Friends Animal Society, which operates an animal sanctuary in southern Utah, has volunteered to work with animal rescue groups and local officials to help reunite people with their pets.

"Local authorities are prohibiting or strongly discouraging people from returning to homes they have evacuated," said regional coordinator Paul Berry, who is directing Best Friends efforts on the Gulf Coast. "So as we gather details of where pets were left behind, we'll be working with all the other rescue teams and organizations to pick them up and reunite them with their families."

___

Please email your Govenor and any official that can make this happen!

 

[alwayslisad]

I do not understand why this would go to the JUST FOR FUN COMMUNITY BOARD. I do not feel that offering assistance in a time of need is JUST FOR FUN!

 

[alliecats]

Great post, go Utah! Lots and lots of serious posts on the CB, don't let the category name fool you.

 

[Feralpeg]

I do not understand why this would go to the JUST FOR FUN COMMUNITY BOARD. I do not feel that offering assistance in a time of need is JUST FOR FUN!

Where would you suggest it go? You will find that a lot of what is discussed on The Community Board is not about fun.

 

[alwayslisad]

"Where would you suggest it go? You will find that a lot of what is discussed on The Community Board is not about fun."

With the name of the board "JUST FOR FUN" the implication of the name versus the seriousness of the topic does not equal. As I read through this Community Board, I noticed many non FUN related threads. While being nearly new to the DIS Boards * only going to WISH and Cruise sections * to see a topic just for fun brings to my mind - What I do for fun. What a thought.


As AllieCat nicely pointed out, this section of the board has more to offer than just that.

 

[Snoopymom]

Great idea. I was also thinking about "host companies"...any company that is looking to hire, could find someone from that area who is qualified and help them and their families get set up with housing, etc. I'm sure you'd have lots of employees volunteering to help them with everything else, getting established in the community, kids in school, etc.

If the corporations in this area can afford to hire head hunters, give starting bonuses, and pay the expenses of transfering employees, then I would think that with just a little extra expense, they could give someone their life back, get a devoted employee and write it off as charity.

 

[chyam]

I do not understand why this would go to the JUST FOR FUN COMMUNITY BOARD. I do not feel that offering assistance in a time of need is JUST FOR FUN!

OH PLEASE!!! The Community board is where all kinds of info is posted and anything that gets the word out to people is fine with me,it could be posted on a bathroom wall and if enough people read it then it did it's job. Where would you like it posted? the RESORTS board? As far as I know there is no board on the dis specifically related to disasters! So thank you OP for the info! It will reach many people here who will spread it even further. I too had wondered since I am all alone and said to my walking partner this morning I wouldn't mind housing a single person or couple as long as they were screened, but wondered how you would go about doing something like that.

 

[alwayslisad]

Hello all

I have been contacted by our local news to talk about this idea - I am told many are offering this idea as well.

I am told that there are extreme Risks as well...but I will keep you all posted....many states are offering places for refugees......

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

 

[alwayslisad]

www.nola.com

go to the forums - many are offering assistance