Before we left on our adventure to the coast, two big boxes of Band-aids arrived from a High School in Ashboro, NC, allowing us to make up 245 additional first aid kits. Our thanks to Sue Farlow and her journalism classes!
The call for water is tremendous down on the gulf. We were able to get another 18 wheeler filled with water and soup from Salvation Army and United Way warehouses to a warehouse in Moss Point, MS (next to Pascagula). The 18 wheeler was provided by one of our new contacts, FREE HAUL, out of Arizona. This is a new non-profit organization begun to help with Katrina shipping from non-profits. Hopefully, they’ll be able to get grant money, because they’re struggling. If you’d like to donate to them or get more info, please email or call us.
Laura and Becky’s Trip to the coast on Memorial Weekend.
There’s still a lot of work to be done down there and many obstacles to overcome, but you could tell a difference in the clean-up efforts. Here’s where we went, what we delivered, and what we saw:
MOSS POINT, MS We made contact with a warehouse near Pascagula that we’ll probably be working with a lot in the near future. We gave them a box of 35 first aid kits.
BILOXI, MS Some clean up has been done, but demolition continues, and there’re still lots of FEMA trailers in the poorer section of town. We dropped off a box of first aid kits to HandsOnUSA and Urban Life Ministries, both awesome organizations focusing on re-building at this time.
This family has a new roof thanks to volunteers from Mt. Top Church from Birmingham!
OCEAN SPRINGS, MS We took approx. 100 diabetic kits and 1 box of First Aid Kits to the Wellness Center. They’ll be distributing the kits to 6 clinics from Ocean Springs to Gulfport, MS.
GULPORT, MS We stayed at Cross Point Church with Laura Lowe and her team from Mountain Top Church. We went to check out the house they roofed the previous day. The family was typical of the people so many groups are trying to help. They had no insurance because the husband, Sam, got hurt they had to choose between insurance and food for his family. His wife who was recovering from the Katrina Crud (asthma) works full time, and they both go to school. While we were there, we discovered that Sam has diabetes, hadn’t had any supplies to check his blood sugar, and hadn’t been to a doctor because of money. We gave him a kit and insisted that he do a check. His blood sugar was 340 (shouldn’t be over 180)!!! Thanks to all the kits we’ve given out down there, we were able to get him some supplies so he could give himself some insulin and inform him of the closest free clinic. How cool is that?! (Story continued after pictures below/Click any pic to enlarge)
Sue Farlow's Journalism Class, Asheboro, NC
House in Biloxi for sale as a "fixer-upper", $400,000
Beach front in Biloxi - large building being demolished
Mountain Top Church Team
This family has a new roof thanks to volunteers from Mountain Top Church in Birmingham!
D’IBERVILLE, MS Just north of Biloxi we delivered 100 diabetic kits, a box of First Aid Kits and a few miscellaneous medical supplies. These folks see 100-plus patients a day in this makeshift clinic in front of a closed grocery store. The blue is a wall made of tarps! I’m happy to report that we facilitated this clinic getting supplies from the Old Train Depot clinic in Bay St. Louis which just closed.
PICAYUNE, MS We delivered 50 kits to this sliding scale clinic. We hated to deliver on a Sunday of a holiday weekend, but the director, Jamie, was more than happy to meet us at the clinic and open up. The group that runs the clinic are still feeding 500 families a week.
PASS CHRISTIAN, MS We delivered 15 diabetic kits and a box of First Aid kits to the Americorps Tent Clinic. They also requested a stand up lamp (which Becky is donating) and a rolling medical table.
BAY ST. LOUIS, MS We delivered about 24 diabetic kits to the Hospital and Laura finally got to met Angie Gambino who we’ve been in contact with from very early on. We also delivered the hangers that Cousins Properties collected and 5 boxes of baby formula. We split them between City Team Ministries and Restore Ministries.
WAVELAND, MS We delivered the air conditioner to one happy lady. Her camper was like an OVEN! She has written me several times to thank the ladies who bought the a/c for her, she is so grateful. She is working with Pathfinder Mission and they were kind enough to take 24 diabetic kits and 2 big boxes of formula to Common Ground in New Orleans. They also offered to be a drop-off point for us if we needed it. Kathleen has a huge heart, in addition to all the work she does, she’s rescued 6 dogs.
(Story continued after pictures below/Click any pic to enlarge)
Free Clinic in D'Iberville, MS (The "wall" is blue tarp)
Free Clinic in D'Iberville, MS (The "wall" is blue tarp)
Becky & Jamie at Picayne, MS clinic
Americorp (Tent) Clinic, Pass Christian, MS
Four of Kathleen's Rescue Dogs
FEMA Trailers Everywhere
Boat on House in Waveland, MS
We’ll be getting more supplies in soon and could use some help in the warehouse. Becky is willing to open up on occasional Saturdays. Thanks “Grandma!”
We also still need volunteers who are headed to MS, New Orleans, or Baton Rouge to take kits down.
The Common Ground Clinic in the 9th Ward, NOLA was very excited to learn that approx. 180 diabetic kits were on the way. Laura Lowe (LuLu) took them down to Waveland along with a couple of things for the Americorp Clinic in Pass Christian. Our friend Kathleen at Pathfinder Mission in Waveland will be taking them to New Orleans later this week. From there a volunteer from Common Ground will pick them up. We intend to get a stock of kits to Common Ground where 3 or 4 other clinics in LA can pick them up as needed. We are still looking for people going down to anywhere on the gulf coast and Baton Rouge.
Kathleen posted on the Volunteer message board that she kisses her air conditioner (that we sent) every time she comes home to her camper. :-) Let me know if you are interested in reading the NOLA forum. There is a lot of crap on it these days, but Kathleen's posts will give you a great insight to what's going on down there.
We got another shipment of supplies and will have a volunteer day this Saturday, July 1st at the warehouse from 9am-noon. Becky will be in charge. If you've wanted to get involved, but aren't available during the week and can't make trips down to the coast, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNTY! Be advised that the warehouse is cooler than outside, but we don't have electricity so dress cooly and bring a drink (or you can buy one at Family Dollar). We will have a few battery operated fans. Any questions, please call me at 251-0111 wk or reply to this email.
If anybody has access to a lot of boxes of the same size, please let me know!
Our new website will be up soon with lots of information. Until then, please call us at 251-0111 for info. Please let me know if you like this format for the updates.
We are collecting water, clothes hangers (can be used), dog food, medical table on wheels. Also, bug spray, sun block, chap stick, and items for First Aid Kits. We also got another request for a working laptop computer. In fact, if you have any household or house building item that is in good shape, we will get it down there!
Kathleen has a huge heart, in addition to all the work she does, she’s rescued 6 dogs. 
