KATRINA - Somebody Cares Reports

Katrina Update: September 8, 2005

Cot Distribution
Nearly all of the 1000 cots donated by Operation Blessing International have been distributed to churches and ministries that have turned their facilities to shelters in Houston and Beaumont. We have also been connecting churches in Louisiana and Alabama with OBI distribution centers for cots and other supplies.

Cards for Katrina
Gift card distribution continues throughout the week as we begin the transition from crisis relief to recover, then eventually to rebuilding. Our goal now is not only to meeting immediate with gifts cards, food, and clothing, but to connect evacuees with our local network of churches. To date, in our office alone, we have helped over 11,000 individuals of all ages through the generation outpouring of cards. We have also purchased 12 computers to facilitate our volunteers so they can better assist our new neighbors in locating housing, employment, and missing family members.

Family Reunited
A family was reunited through the efforts of one our volunteers after being separated from Hurricane Katrina. The father called the Somebody Cares office looking for phone cards, but being in a hospital, he was unable to come to the warehouse. Cindy, our volunteer, offered to make phone calls for, so he gave her the numbers to reach his daughters. During the afternoon, the circuits were busy and she was unable to through. When she arrived at home, she tried again and got through to his youngest daughter. She was thrilled to have received the phone call and locate her father!

Report from the Hill Country
Hill Country Daily Bread, one of our Somebody Cares ministry partners, acquired a Christian camp seven miles from Boerne TX to be a shelter. The facility will open Friday with the support of at least 10 churches in the area. It will hold 100 people on bunk beds, in rooms that are air conditioned with full kitchen and dining areas. There is also a chapel, recreation room, laundry facility , a computer / phone room for personal communications, nurses station, and bus transportation into town. “Oh yes, “ adds HCDB director David Hubbard, “and a wonderful view of the hill country!”

Water Truck for Gulf Port
“Denny, Doug Stringer here. How are ya'll doing? What are some of your greatest needs right now and how can we direct help your way?” Doug sent the email to Denny Nissley of Christ in Action, working in Gulf Port, MS. The answer came back quickly. One of the urgent needs was a 30,000 gallon tank truck for fresh potable water. Today, Doug was able to call today with the good news that Somebody Cares America was sending funding to purchase the truck!

Your gift supports the ongoing work of Somebody Cares locally and globally. Please make checks payable to Somebody Cares and send them to PO Box 570007, Houston TX 77257. For credit card donations, please call our office, 713-621-1498, or visit our website, www.somebodycares.org. Somebody Cares reserves the right to apply funds toward the greatest need. Your donation is tax deductible