In just ONE DAY, you responded in such a generous way to requests for item to take to Kathleen Johnson who has been working night and day for everyone else and now has asked for some modest needs for herself. Several people got together and bought a new a/c unit, (I can't wait to see Kathleen's face!)--Thanks Mari Culver!. We had to get it from Pell City and our friend at UAB, Mark DeStafino picked it up for us LAST NIGHT! We also got everything else I asked for. Dana Anderson picked up some shirts at a thrift store and is washing them, Trish Crane just happened to have 8 bottles of Clorox. Cousin's Properties is dropping off a collection of hangers and water--thanks Judy Underhill and all the people in those buildings!! What a team we have!!
If anybody else would like to contribute to this trip, a few dollars for gas money would be greatly appreciated.
I'd like to share with you the first paragraph of an email I got from Christian Robles (see below) with Clothe the People in Pass Christian. We have made several deliveries down there and they got a good deal of the underwear we collected.
Thank you again for your support! Birmingham is getting quite a reputation down there and around the country!
"I would like to take this time to thank you all for making my time at Clothe the People (CTP) and God’s Katrina Kitchen (GKK) an awesome experience. I may have just met you for a day, or possibly a few months. Just the same, you have impacted my life in some way shape or form and helped others. It is amazing what God is doing in bringing us together. You are someone who has come to help in a time of need. No matter how much time you had given or how much you donated, you have helped your fellow man in an enormous way. No matter how minute the tasks may have seemed, without you something would not have gotten done. Your presence and help is much appreciated, not only by me, but by all those involved in this time of need."
Christian A. Robles
CAP Relief - Hurricane Relief Update 5/4/06
Thanks to our trusty team of volunteers and Hands On Birmingham we have made up another 500 diabetic kits. About 300 have been shipped out to clinics in Baton Rouge, LA: Bay St. Louis, MS; and D'Iberville, MS. Thanks to Laura Lowe (Mountain Top Church) and Darlene Negrotto (Vulcan Park)!
We got an urgent call for bottled water from Gulfport (tap water is ify down there). Water becomes an extra problem on weekends when hundreds of volunteers come into the area to help with the rebuild effort. We were able to connect two 18 wheeler's with the United Way's warehouse where we got the last of their Katrina donations. A big thanks to Mike and his team there who have been so nice to us!
With the rebuild effort and volunteers etc., there is also a need for tents. This has been frustrating for us as we have a load of tents in CT, but can't seem to get it down. This load will only be available to us until June so if anybody knows of some free trucking, please let me know.
We do now have a way of getting large items (like stoves, refrigerators, windows, doors) down so if you have these items and they are in good working order, we can take them at our warehouse at 1920 Second Ave. N.
Cousin's Properties are gearing up for another collection! This time it's clothes hangers. With thousands of FEMA trailers (200 just came in to Gulfport) folks are needing to hang up their clothes. Anyone wanting to bring hangers, please bundle them with twist ties and drop them off at our regular CAP office 1801 Third Ave. North.
Don't forget to let us know if you are making a trip to MS or LA. We still have kits to distribute and at least one box of sheets--thanks Anna Aldridge (FOOTMAD)! We could also use volunteers during to week to make first aid kits.