HURRICANE KATRINA
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina to date.
We sent our initial fundraising to: America's Second Harvests - The Nation's Food Bank Network. We know people will need food supplies in that area for some time. Your donations will help greatly.
In addition, we have come across a number of significant grassroots efforts to help folks in the affected areas.
One is the Southern Relief Fund - a coordinated effort to provide relief to families and communities in Mississippi. They can be contacted at:
Southern Relief Fund
c/o Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights
PO Box 1223
Greenville, Ms 38702
Another organization providing help on the ground in Alabama is:
Saving Our Selves (include on memo line)
c/o Beni Ivey
Center for Democratic Renewal
Atlanta, GA 30302
The AFL-CIO is also providing support through relief funds set up by a number of international unions, through the Union Community Fund and in supporting Workers Centers, these are staffed by AFL-CIO liaisons. Currently there are centers in the following places: Atlanta, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Dallas, Tx; Houston, Tx; Mobile, AL; Pearl, MS; San Antonio, Tx.
PLEASE REVIEW THE LISTS BELOW AND CONTACT Tom Ryan at the SF Labor Council and we will ship it together or you can ship it directly.
Supply lists for some of the centers follow:
AFL-CIO WORKERS RELIEF CENTER
Pearl, MS
c/o United Association of Pipe Fitters
Attn: David Newell
1060 Commercial Park Drive
Pearl, MS
Personal Hygiene: 200 each
Deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, combs, brushes, shampoo, conditioner, soap, towelettes, tampons/ pads, toilet paper
Cleaning Supplies: 100 each
Dishwasing liguid, bleach, pine sol, SOS pads, 409, windex, mops, brooms, sanitizer air freshener, gloves, Clorox wipes, industrial size push brooms.
School Supplies: 500 each
Notebooks, bookbags, 3 ring binders, Kleenex, 3-hole paper, construction paper, scissors, glue, crayons, hand sanitizer, pens, pencils.
Children's Clothing: Boys and Girls 100 each
Shirts: S, M, L, XL
Pants : S, M, L, XL
Shoes: Boys vary in size from infant to 18 years old
Girls vary in size from infant to 18 years old
Undergarments: Boys and Girls - S, M, L, XL
Men's Clothing: 150 each
Pants 30-30, 32-34, 34-32, 36-34, 44
Shirts M, L, XL, XXL
Undergarments: Underwear and T-shirts M, L, XL, XXL
Women's Clothing: 150 each
Pants: S, M, L, XL
Shirts: S, M, L, XL
Panties, Bras: S, M, L, XL
Shoes and socks: varies in size 5-10
Miscellaneous items: (Whatever can be sent) Chainsaws with chain brake, catcher, spark arrester, chainsaw chaps and boots with steeltoe-gas cans-rubber boots-gallow water containters-generators-extension cords-power strips-electric cords-dry ice-water purification tablets-sunscreen-first aid supplies-batteries-battery powered radios-cooler filled with ice-tarps, visgueen, duct tape or other adhesives- roofing nails, tools-- hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers etc. anything for repairing or prying things loose--- work gloves, shovels, blankets, matches in waterproof containers--garbage cans and bags-facemasks-paper towels-canned food-can openers/ manual-cooking tools-paper plates and utensils-non perishable food items-baby food and diapers-bottles etc. -food for special diets-low salt, sugar free etc. Or money, of course.
Worker's Center
Atlanta, GA
c/o IBEW Local 613
501 Pulliam Street
Atlanta, GA
Baby diapers and all baby items new clothes and shoes
Toiletries of all kinds
Women's products of all kinds
Men's products: shaving, deodorant, after shave products
Paper Products (tissue and paper towels)
Canned Food and any non perishable items
Or money of course.
We also have a number of local brothers and sisters whose families have been greatly impacted as well. One such family is that of John Weber, a member of OPEIU Local 3 Executive Board.
A Call for Help from my Union Community for my Family:
I thank you for your prayers so very much. I will not forget your unselfish kindness. Pray that everyone makes it to me safely. You may have view my plight to find my 11+ family member on KRON-TV-4 News (http://www.kron.com/.) especially, my 76 disabled mother Mary Davis. Delta Airlines charged me $700 dollars for a one way ticket from Baton Rouge, La to San Francisco, California where I reside, despite my plea about her traumatic situation. I clearly explained that all she had was the clothes on her back as result of fleeing Hurricane Katrina. I further explained I was frantically looking for my other eight siblings and father. I wanted to share my story with you.
I certainly would appreciate any and all assistance you can offer my family. My entire family has lost everything. I am their lifeline. But they have me, and their lives. My family will need a lot of mental and emotional healing. My heart and soul is broken by what I witnessed & what my family and other families are going through -unthinkable, human suffering. I am depending on my colleagues, friends and community to help my family and me with resources to make it through this crisis and rebuild our lives.
I ask you, what would you do to save your entire family? I know - any and everything. The real help begins once they make it out of New Orleans safe. I can not do this un-human feet by myself. I thank you form the bottom of my heart.
If you would like to make a direct contribution to my family, I have set up a special account at the following bank:
c/o John Weber
Wells Fargo Bank
490 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
acct. # 1813136015
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THESE ARE SOME WAYS THAT EACH OF YOU CAN HELP. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO HELP FILL SOME OF THE NEEDS WE HAVE LISTED ABOVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED GET THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, LET'S CONTINUE TO PUSH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. AT THE SAME TIME LET'S HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN NEED IMMEDIATELY. CONTACT US TODAY WITH QUESTIONS OR OFFERS OF HELP. IDEAS ARE WELCOME.
Tom Ryan (415) 440-4809 EXT. 18
tom@sflaborcouncil.org
