BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Autism Spectrum Disorders Sites for helping Katrina victims

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 - TheArcLink has created a central online clearinghouse so that family members, case managers, service coordinators or advocates can list people or families who need support.


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From: Rud and Ann Turnbull of the Beach Center:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Pyramid Parent Training Center, which Ursula and DJ Markey direct, serve over 300 families who have children with disabilities. Some of the Pyramid families escaped from New Orleans. But not all. Those who could not leave have no services now. Nor will they for a long time to come, wherever they are or will be. They desperately need Pyramid's help.

On their behalf, we are establishing the Pyramid Parent Recovery Trust Fund. We are funding it ourselves, personally. But not alone. Beach Center staff members are already contributing to it.

Will you?

Please contact us off line and we will be happy to send you an essay that Ursula and DJ wrote about Pyramid Parent and their work along with their picture.

Then try to walk in their shoes. Their offices and records are flooded; their staff is dispersed; the families they serve are in distress.

Yet Ursula and DJ are determined to carry on, responding in every way possible to the families' needs.

We are determined to help them and the families. Please join us by making a contribution to the Pyramid Parents Trust Fund. Please send your tax-deductible check to us, as trustees. We will administer the Fund according to Ursula and DJ's direction on behalf of the parents and children.

There are but few words left to say. Gratitude is the memory of the heart. You can manifest yours by your action.

With faith and love,

Rud and Ann Turnbull, Trustees
Beach Center on Disability
3111 Haworth Hall, The University of Kansas
1200 Sunnyside Drive, Lawrence, KS 66045-7534

Independent Living

As you may know, the Centers for Independent Living in Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans have been gravely affected by the hurricane. In fact the Biloxi, MS center was totally destroyed. Many of you are asking how you can help. Here is what we have learned from colleagues in those states.

Sending money is the first priority. Sending supplies to those centers is helpful too but NOT RIGHT NOW, because they can't get through the water. Here are the suggested options for right now:

1) Send a check or credit card payment to the Red Cross and designate it for Hurricane Relief, or designate it for people with disabilities in the Biloxi/Hattiesburg or New Orleans areas.

2) If you want to send money for the CILs that are dealing with this disaster directly, here are your options:

For the Biloxi Center, mail the check (payable to LIFE of Central MS and designated for the Biloxi Center) to:
LIFE of Central Mississippi
754 North President Street, Suite 1
Jackson, MS 39202

For the centers in Louisiana (make checks payable to Resources for Independent Living - this is a branch of the N.O. center - and designate for the New Orleans center) and mail to:

Resources for IL
11931 Industriplex Blvd. Suite 200
Baton Rouge, LA 70809

We have also learned from Mack Marsh of the Shreveport Center that centers in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles are assisting evacuees. Mack says they would also appreciate supplies if there is any way to get those supplies to the centers. His list includes: manual wheelchairs, hospital beds, adult diapers, bed pads, catheters and other supplies. The address for the Baton Rouge center is shown above, addresses for the Shreveport and Lake Charles centers follow.

Southwest LA Independence Center, Inc.
Mitch Granger
1202 Kirkman, Suite C
Lake Charles, LA 70601

New Horizons, Inc.
Jerry Kidwell
9300 Mansfield Road, Suite 204
Shreveport, LA 71118

We will keep you informed of any additional ways that you can help. Feel free to forward this information to other people interested in the needs of people with disabilities affected by this disaster.

TASH - Equal, Opportunity and Inclusion for People with Disabilities:

http://www.tash.org/katrinainfo.htm

There is a listing of the closed social security offices in the affected region.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/emergency/

Easter Seals Gulf Coast Disaster Fund

http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer

Mosaic - Providing Supports and Advocating for People with Disabilities

Several locations in Texas:

http://www.mosaicinfo.org/texas/index.asp

In Bryan, Texas - they are receiving some people and are requesting supports -- specifically clothing, personal hygiene items and also diapers and formula. They can be sent to:

Mosaic
302 Post Office St
Bryan, Texas, 77581

Here is the number - 979.823.7622

Family Voices - A national nonprofit organization that
advocates for and supports families that have children and youth with special health care needs.

Families Helping Families Hurricane Relief Fund

One hundred percent of the donated funds will be funneled to volunteer family leaders "on the ground" in the affected states, leaders who are already assisting some of the most
vulnerable victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The Centers for Disease Control has estimated that there are at least 99,000 children with special health care needs in Mississippi, 193,000 in Louisiana, 488,000 in Florida, and 152,000 in Alabama. Those children affected by the hurricane face unique and difficult challenges, often needing specialized assistance to keep them healthy and alive. Survival often depends on breathing equipment, special diets, clean surroundings, frequent medications, and even 24-hour nursing care.

The Families Helping Families Hurricane Relief Fund is intended to help these needy families get the specialized assistance they need through the efforts of local family leaders. The Family Voices network of state leaders, all of them parents or family members of children and youth with special health care needs, are part of the Family Voices national grassroots network. These leaders are working with state and local organizations in the communites where hurricane refugees are now being sent. Family Voices leaders in states like Florida and Alabama, who have recently lived through hurricanes, have the tools and experience to provide technical assistance to agencies like the Red Cross and Salvation Army and direct help to hurting families.

Donations to the Families Helping Families fund will pay for items and
services our family leaders have learned are needed - things such as
anti-bacterial wipes, diapers, phone cards, medical care, cash for
medications, gas and food, rent, toys, and clothing.

Donations are being taken via the Family Voices website
http://www.familyvoices.org and via postal mail:

2340 Alamo SE, Suite 102, Albuquerque, NM 87106). For more information, contact Rachel Tallman, 1.888.835.5669.


Family Voices, a national nonprofit organization, advocates for family-centered health care for all children and youth with special health care needs, promotes inclusion of families as decision makers, and supports partnerships between families and professionals.

The Houston craigslist has a section for Hurricane Katrina:

http://houston.craigslist.org/

Katrina Disaster Relief Information for People with Disabilities and people who want to help them:

http://www.katrinadisability.info/

Includes shelter information, housing, animals and employment as well as volunteerism.

Another Hurricane Katrina board:

http://www.getphpbb.com/phpbb/index.php?mforum=katrinainformat