Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,

I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National
Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most states. A
central Yahoo Katrina Relief Group was set up for coordinators as
well.

Some of you may or may not know, that St. Louis is no longer
receiving evacuees as originally planned. I heard that this had also
happened in Oregon. WE just found out a couple of days ago. HOWEVER,
please do not be upset. Everyone who sent donations to St. Louis
Family Church via my email: all donations are making their way to the
hurricane survivors in Louisiana and Mississippi. Be assured that
your time, money and effort IS helping Hurricane Katrina survivors in
areas that needed it the most.

I just talked with a business friend and have some information that
might help on locating/helping evacuees in any state you live in.
Many are being moved into communities to live with friends or family
or other housing. I know in Missouri it is estimated that around
8,000 have moved into our area.

My friend is a Director for the EODD (Eastern Oklahoma Development
District Agency on Aging-gotta love these short titles) in Muskogee,
Oklahoma. They are placing seniors who are displaced by
Katrina. One senior was placed with family in Oregon. Many survivors
are going into areas where the Red Cross is not too helpful on what
they are supposed to receive in relief. There seems to be
communication issues. FEMA is supposed to give each family $2,000.
That's great if it's a family of one. But the same amount goes to a
family of 6, 8 or 10! We have heard only those in Texas are starting
to receive this.

She has given me the following suggestions on locating and helping
those in our communities:

PLACES TO LOCATE EVACUEES THAT ARE LIVING IN YOUR AREA:

LOCAL SCHOOLS-she said the principals would know if there are
students in the school that were displaced. They must get permission
from the family for you to communicate with them. But these families
need everything. Linda said her daughter came home from school and
said that there was a new boy at school from the hurricane.

LOCAL RED CROSS CHAPTERS-they are telling evacuees when they are
moved to contact the local Red Cross. However we do not know if they
are all doing this. If they do, they will have a list of displaced
families and individuals so that you can adopt them.

MINISTEREAL ALLIANCE-this is a group of ministers that meet in most
communities

SHELTERS-if your area has evacuees that were brought to these.

Your Satsang can probably adopt a family in your own area. They are
somewhat "hidden" among us since agencies are getting them placed
with families or other housing arrangements rather than in some of
the shelters. So we need to be creative in areas that think that they
don't have evacuees. They probably do so be sure to contact agencies
to find them.

WHAT IS NEEDED BY MANY FAMILIES:
-money for utility deposits
-money for used cars. The families have no way in getting around.
-more CLOTHES/COATS. The Red Cross is being very stingy with
donations. They give vouchers for survivors to get 5 pairs of pants,
5 shirts, etc. Many are displaced to colder climates and are not
getting vouchers for much needed coats.
-cleaning supplies-brooms, mops, etc for newly placed
-baby clothes, diapers, formula
-toiletries remain high on list along with towels, washcloths and
undergarments
-hygiene products

My friend is working at Camp Gruber which has about 700 people left.
I know one place to send donations is directly to-this is someone I
know so it will go directly to evacuees:
EODD (this is Eastern Ok. Development District)
ATTN Linda Miller
1012 North 38th Street
Muskogee, OK 74401

You can email her at caregivers@... Put in subject line:
PC KATRINA (since she knows me through my business PC will help her
take is from the junk mail box)

Linda is going to also provide me with contacts for Texas. The last
time I
talked on a Satsang conference call, one person from a Texas Satsang
was so busy helping victims that he was not even able to check
emails. Maybe someone can post where we can send donations to Texas
since they have probably one of the greatest needs at this time.

She shared a story of a 73 yr old man who had lost everything. AT the
shelter, she had to wake him up to see what he needed. He never asked
for anything and was glad for what he had. She said he had been a
hard worker all of his life. As she drove him around, they saw a
church and he remarked what a pretty church it was. He then asked
her, "Do you know where your church is?" She said, "Yes, of course"
thinking he meant a "building" in the city. He said, "No, not there.
Church is in your heart. Whenever I wanted to go to church when
things got bad, I went to my heart because God is there." I just
wanted to share this beautiful story. He was placed in Portland,
Oregon and I'm sending the local Satsang his contact information so
that they can perhaps "adopt" him and help him out.

I hope this information was helpful.

thanks,
Namah Shivaya,
Adriane Bradley
St. Louis Area Satsang

on 9/17/05 10:06 PM, Adriane at a1driane@... wrote:

> Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,
>
> I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National
> Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most states.

Who is the national coordinator? Here's a press release we wrote today for
an event we're planning. If you can think of anything that should be added
or that needs correcting, please tell me:

New Orleans Chef Coming to Fairfield for Hurricane Benefit Dinner

Professional New Orleans chef Kirk Bernhardt will cook a benefit dinner on
Saturday, 7 pm, October 1 at Morningstar Studio to benefit hurricane
victims. Kirk himself is a hurricane evacuee. Even though he doesn't know
the condition of his own home, he has agreed to come to Fairfield and
prepare a delicious New Orleans style meal.

The planned menu is as follows: Salad with Creole Mustard/Steen's Cane Syrup
dressing, choice of Shrimp Creole or Vegetable Jambalaya, and Congo Style
Bread Pudding with Dark Rum sauce. This will be served in a festive New
Orleans atmosphere.

Kirk learned Creole cooking at some of New Orleans' finest and most famous
restaurants: Commander's Palace, The Grill Room at Windsor Court, Mr. B's
and K-Paul's. Before the Hurricane he was a chef at two restaurants and
immediately before it he was teaching cooking classes at Blain Kern's Mardi
Gras World, which is where all the Mardi Gras floats are made. It is said
that the Mardi Gras would not roll without Blain Kerns.

Kirk lived in Fairfield in the 1980's. He and his wife were in Vermont when
the hurricane hit, and have been unable to return home since. Kirk is happy
to report that his part of town was not inundated, so if his house wasn¹t
damaged by wind, flooded by rain, or ransacked by looters, he'll have a home
to return to when residents are allowed to reenter the city. He's hoping
that the people caring for his beloved pet parrots were able to keep them
alive.

This event is being sponsored by the Amma Fairfield Center. 100% of the
proceeds from the dinner will be used for Katrina relief, and unpaid
volunteers, both locally and at the site of the disaster, perform all work.
Advance ticket purchase is encouraged and will be available at Thymely
Solutions. You may also call 472-7148 (Coralie Brook) for advance tickets.
Dinner tickets bought in advance will be a minimum donation of $20 ($10 for
children). Tickets at the door will be $23 minimum donation ($12 for
children). If you are unable to attend the dinner but would still like to
donate, please send checks to Amma Fairfield Center, P.O. Box 1332,
Fairfield, IA 52556, made payable to M. A. Center. Credit Cards will be
accepted for donations over $50.
The Amma Fairfield Center is one of many groups around the world affiliated
with Mata Amritanandamayi Math. With branch centers worldwide, M. A. Math &
affiliates are focused on vast array of charitable efforts, including
disaster relief. M.A. Math was founded by the world-renowned humanitarian
and spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, and was recently granted special
NGO consultative status by the United Nations. Amma is known throughout the
world for her humanitarian work and for inspiring thousands of people to
follow her message of practicing Love, Compassion and Selfless service to
all, crossing all barriers of religion, race and nationality.
M. A. Centers in the U.S. are providing immediate relief and planning
long-term support for Hurricane Katrina victims.
* Amma's Arkansas center was among the first to swing into action, helping
hundreds of victims from Louisiana since the tragedy on August 29.
Volunteers are visiting shelters every day, providing emotional counseling
and vocational guidance, and helping the survivors find housing and get
familiarized with the local area.
* The Dallas and Houston Amma Centers have been very much involved in
helping the evacuees from the beginning, both independently and in
collaboration with the Red Cross and other relief organizations. Volunteers
are distributing supplies, helping evacuees connect with educational and
vocational opportunities, and providing medical care. The Dallas Amma Center
has donated a large quantity of food and clothing to the hurricane
survivors.
* A team of qualified volunteers from the California M. A. Center, including
doctors who helped with tsunami relief work in India, has been in Houston
since Sep. 9.
* Many other states are welcoming evacuees and more are still arriving. M.
A. Center affiliates in Oklahoma, Missouri, California and Minnesota, as
well as Iowa, are helping both directly and through fund-raising efforts.

Here in Fairfield, last weekend's yard sale raised $1667, volunteers are
receiving formal Red Cross training and certification to be able to help in
this and future disasters, several participants in the Amma group have gone
or are going to the Gulf Coast to help directly, and of course, the upcoming
dinner is expected to raise considerable support for hurricane victims.

The National Coordinator is Arun in New York. There is supposed to be
a Hurricane Katrina Relief coordinator in every state. Arun has set
up the Yahoo Group and was appointed by Swamiji Dayamrita. I can send
you the link for your satsang in the event you don't have a
coordinator yet. I know they want information like what your hosting.
Sounds great!!! I wish I could come and eat!!! LOVE New Awleans
food!! The best! Oregon Satsang is gathered tonight to put together
donations.

Additional info:
Several Amma devotees from across the country donated money, time and
personal donations which they have sent to St. Louis and because we
are not getting evacuees here, all donations are now going to
Louisiana and Mississippi where the need is so great. Items such as
backpacks, school supplies and basic toiletry items, baby needs, art
therapy supplies, uplifting videos, clothing and more are currently
being taken to the devasted areas.

Adriane


--- In Ammachi (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, Rick Archer <rick@s...> wrote:
> on 9/17/05 10:06 PM, Adriane at a1driane@s... wrote:
>
> > Aum Amriteswaryai Namah,
> >
> > I have not seen all the messages of late. There is a National
> > Coordinator now for Katrina Relief and coordinators in most
states.
>
> Who is the national coordinator? Here's a press release we wrote
today for
> an event we're planning. If you can think of anything that should
be added
> or that needs correcting, please tell me:
>
> New Orleans Chef Coming to Fairfield for Hurricane Benefit Dinner
>
> Professional New Orleans chef Kirk Bernhardt will cook a benefit
dinner on
> Saturday, 7 pm, October 1 at Morningstar Studio to benefit hurricane
> victims. Kirk himself is a hurricane evacuee. Even though he
doesn't know
> the condition of his own home, he has agreed to come to Fairfield
and
> prepare a delicious New Orleans style meal.
>
> The planned menu is as follows: Salad with Creole Mustard/Steen's
Cane Syrup
> dressing, choice of Shrimp Creole or Vegetable Jambalaya, and Congo
Style
> Bread Pudding with Dark Rum sauce. This will be served in a festive
New
> Orleans atmosphere.
>
> Kirk learned Creole cooking at some of New Orleans' finest and most
famous
> restaurants: Commander's Palace, The Grill Room at Windsor Court,
Mr. B's
> and K-Paul's. Before the Hurricane he was a chef at two restaurants
and
> immediately before it he was teaching cooking classes at Blain
Kern's Mardi
> Gras World, which is where all the Mardi Gras floats are made. It
is said
> that the Mardi Gras would not roll without Blain Kerns.
>
> Kirk lived in Fairfield in the 1980's. He and his wife were in
Vermont when
> the hurricane hit, and have been unable to return home since. Kirk
is happy
> to report that his part of town was not inundated, so if his house
wasn¹t
> damaged by wind, flooded by rain, or ransacked by looters, he'll
have a home
> to return to when residents are allowed to reenter the city. He's
hoping
> that the people caring for his beloved pet parrots were able to
keep them
> alive.
>
> This event is being sponsored by the Amma Fairfield Center. 100% of
the
> proceeds from the dinner will be used for Katrina relief, and unpaid
> volunteers, both locally and at the site of the disaster, perform
all work.
> Advance ticket purchase is encouraged and will be available at
Thymely
> Solutions. You may also call 472-7148 (Coralie Brook) for advance
tickets.
> Dinner tickets bought in advance will be a minimum donation of $20
($10 for
> children). Tickets at the door will be $23 minimum donation ($12 for
> children). If you are unable to attend the dinner but would still
like to
> donate, please send checks to Amma Fairfield Center, P.O. Box 1332,
> Fairfield, IA 52556, made payable to M. A. Center. Credit Cards
will be
> accepted for donations over $50.
> The Amma Fairfield Center is one of many groups around the world
affiliated
> with Mata Amritanandamayi Math. With branch centers worldwide, M.
A. Math &
> affiliates are focused on vast array of charitable efforts,
including
> disaster relief. M.A. Math was founded by the world-renowned
humanitarian
> and spiritual leader, Mata Amritanandamayi, and was recently
granted special
> NGO consultative status by the United Nations. Amma is known
throughout the
> world for her humanitarian work and for inspiring thousands of
people to
> follow her message of practicing Love, Compassion and Selfless
service to
> all, crossing all barriers of religion, race and nationality.
> M. A. Centers in the U.S. are providing immediate relief and
planning
> long-term support for Hurricane Katrina victims.
> * Amma's Arkansas center was among the first to swing into action,
helping
> hundreds of victims from Louisiana since the tragedy on August 29.
> Volunteers are visiting shelters every day, providing emotional
counseling
> and vocational guidance, and helping the survivors find housing and
get
> familiarized with the local area.
> * The Dallas and Houston Amma Centers have been very much involved
in
> helping the evacuees from the beginning, both independently and in
> collaboration with the Red Cross and other relief organizations.
Volunteers
> are distributing supplies, helping evacuees connect with
educational and
> vocational opportunities, and providing medical care. The Dallas
Amma Center
> has donated a large quantity of food and clothing to the hurricane
> survivors.
> * A team of qualified volunteers from the California M. A. Center,
including
> doctors who helped with tsunami relief work in India, has been in
Houston
> since Sep. 9.
> * Many other states are welcoming evacuees and more are still
arriving. M.
> A. Center affiliates in Oklahoma, Missouri, California and
Minnesota, as
> well as Iowa, are helping both directly and through fund-raising
efforts.
>
> Here in Fairfield, last weekend's yard sale raised $1667,
volunteers are
> receiving formal Red Cross training and certification to be able to
help in
> this and future disasters, several participants in the Amma group
have gone
> or are going to the Gulf Coast to help directly, and of course, the
upcoming
> dinner is expected to raise considerable support for hurricane
victims.