debutaunt.com

Adopt A Shelter

I drove in with this woman this morning.

I picked up two riders to go with me as I was a little bit late and couldn't find a space to park at my ParknRide.

So we were talking about the evacuees and the entire situation. This idiot woman says that some of these people are raping in the shelters (uh, that was in the unprotected Superdome and Convention center in NOLA) and that they are "throwing paper" around in the restrooms and don't even deserve our help.

It took everything that I had not to stop my car and ask her to get out.

THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING!!! THEY ARE ALL NOT JUNKIES, LOOTERS, THUGS, VANDALS, CRIMINALS. THEY ARE ALL POOR AND NEED OUR HELP.

Be like Jesus for a change and help those who need it. Not just who you deem worthy of our help.

Some people make me sick.

Soooo... anyway....

My sister lives in a really rich part of town. In the middle of this city, across from one of the best high schools in Houston, lies a Katrina Evacuee shelter. Most people don't even know it's there. They are currently housing about 30 people and are feeding another 90 or so more from the hotels in the area.

My sister has basically adopted this shelter. She's gone over there, found out what they needed, and cleared out a few stores to buy them what they wanted. She's also gotten flyers and is going around to the local restaurants to get prepared meals delivered to the shelter (as they are allowed to take in outside food as long as they know in advance). She also made up flyers to post at the Kroger because you can now donate your change at Coinstar and all the proceeds will go to the Red Cross, without the usual deduction. She's also making her neighbors aware that those people are there.

This situation calls for people like my sister - smart, determined, compassionate and organized. Both of my sister's actually. My other sister's husband donated big time cash, volunteered at the Dome, and she took in friends from NOLA (who lost EVERYTHING). She babysat for me so that I could go volunteer and she's been helping out at her church and at the school.

I think that if people really want to help, and can't just give money, they could adopt a shelter. Find out exactly what that shelter needs and go out and buy it for them. Send care packages if you don't have one in your area.

Below is a current list of the shelters sponsored by the American Red Cross. There are an infinate number more. There might be one close to you or in your city.

List of a few Houston shelters

These shelters will house folks for a long time to come. They have immediate needs, but will also have long term needs as well.

Be a good neighbor. Be a good human. There are enough assholes, so the rest of us have to balance it out.

Posted by debutaunt at September 6, 2005 10:22 AM