Betty & All, Please, please, please don't send packages to the post office. I live in Florida and survived Ivan last year, Dennis this year and I can tell you, sometimes mail delivery doesn't start again for months. All those well-meant packages could wind up sitting is the post office and never reach the intended recipients. Plus, they will take up space needed to store the regular mail that can't be delivered. The best way to help is to contribute to the major relief agencies: United Way or Red Cross. Or, it you don't want to do that, look around your community for churches and REPUTABLE civic organizations collecting needed items and money for the relief effort. The benefit to using these agencies is that you can be assured your contribution will reach those in need. I received assistance from folks in Mississippi last year after Ivan devastated our area and I fully intend to return the favor through contributions to my church's collection efforts. My church is also organizing trips to the area to assist with clean up efforts. But it is being coordinated with the relief agencies there. If your community or church is planning to help in this way and you have some time to contribute, please consider traveling with an organized group to help. Thank you so much for your concern and desire to help. Just be sure the help you give will reach those in need. Thanks, Carolyn (near Pensacola) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <OHHAMILT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 6:02 AM Subject: "We Care" Packages to "Katrina Survivors" - Off Topic > Hello, > > I must be one of only of tens of millions of people SOOO Frustrated at > watching all the News programs of people .. dying in front of our eyes .. > while waiting for "drinking water" or any kind of liquid which is > drinkable > to arrive at the Louisiana Superdome ! And, as of last night, two > "infants" have died of dehydration there ! > > This week I've already posted on the MA List that I would really like to > go > by a 20-pack of ..Toilet Paper.. and ship it down there ! The more I > watch the News, though, I see where "basic human needs" go way beyond > toilet > paper. They need FOOD and medicine. They need .. diapers and baby > food > and formula .. and senior citizens need diapers, also ! They need > ..DRY.. clothes ... including undergarments ! > > How many of us have food, medicine, and "sanitary products" in our homes - > which we don't really need ? How many of us have clothes in our home > which we really don't need ! Do you have summer clothes you bought this > year which you might not wear next summer ? Those people in Louisiana > and Mississippi have probably been "living in" the same pair of shorts > and > t-shirt and underwear .. for a week ! And, they probably arrived at > whereever they are being "sheltered" -- soaking wet ! > > My suggestion is to go to the supermarkets and/or stores and pick up their > unwanted cardboard boxes .. and start .. filling them up ! Or, I've > found out that "banker's boxes" at the office-supply stores are good for > sending packages. > > I went to www.switchboard.com and found out the address: > > > "Katrina Survivors" > c/o Louisiana Superdome > 1500 Poydras St > New Orleans, LA 70112 > > > OR, we could just send our "we care" packages to the following address: > > "Katrina Survivors" > c/o, the Postmaster > New Orleans, LA 70112 > > Even if the New Orleans Post Office has been destroyed, the packages > should > go to their "regional Post Office" - and they can decide what to do with > them ! > > And, ... wouldn't it be nice .. if the United States Postal Service .. > would > allow us to mail our "we care" packages ... for free ! > > And, the same goes for .. UPS .. and FED EX ... I had occasion to want > to use UPS to mail 2 packages at different times to Europe ... and I was > "SHOCKED" at how much they wanted to charge me ! $50 for a very > small, > lightweight package, and $350 for a medium-heavy "banker's box." > > .... > I know very well that the "American Red Cross" NEEDS money, and they > "always" say ... DO NOT ..send "care packages." BUT ..... this is > different ! > > In our adult lifetime, we have not seen and heard about .. such > wide-spread > DESTRUCTION .. and -- human need ! > > If you cannot send "we care" packages, then I have found that even > www.ebay.com is offering a way to "contribute" to the American Red > Cross - whether you are a Seller or a Buyer. > > I will be sending this message to other "State" Lists which I belong to ! > > Please feel free to pass my "request / suggestion" along to whichever > Lists > you belong to ! > > A SEPARATE SUGGESTION? Sit down and write a letter to these > families - > tell them we DO care ! Offer them as much sympathy as you can ! > > I'll bet that right now those 10,000 - Plus - people .. feel "totally > isolated" from the rest of their State - and definitely isolated from the > rest of the U.S. ! > > > And, please say a sincere prayer to "your Higher Being" .. that food and > drinking water .. get to "Katrina survivors" -- YESTERDAY ! And, not > arriving for the first time - this coming weekend ! > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > ______________________________