Been There Clearing House

We’ve said it before, but it’s worth saying again today — being a part of this Clearinghouse and the efforts of so many people here have been a highlight of our lives. 

From the early days of Katrina when we were screaming at our television sets at the horror and injustice of the destruction and governmental indifference to the Gulf Coast, you, and thousands and thousands of others, came to the Clearinghouse because you wanted to do something, anything, to help out all the many people in need. 

And then just a few days later, when those of you who lost your homes and so much more were able to go online, or friends or family went online for you, you came here to get a helping hand or tell your story.  Your words made us cry because you gave voice to the great big enormous tragedy that had unfolded before our eyes, in our own country, down the street.  It was almost too much to imagine, but then you spoke with such strength and honesty and compassion and gave layers of meaning to a story that was all over the news but still was missing the most important, the most human element – the inner dialogue of you, the people who had gone through it all. 

Who can forget Toni, 21 years old with three boys, saying how she knew she’d get through the dark days because she saw her grandmother rebuild after Camille, or the last haunting paragraph of her beautiful piece  —

Many believe the government should be doing more for them. Me, I am just thankful to have the air mattress I sleep on and my family driving me crazy. I say I have seen the best and worst of humanity. I have seen riots over food and money, and I have seen complete strangers open their homes to give those who have no place to go a roof over their head. I have faith in my city and state, and I am with my government in saying that we will rebuild, not just buildings, but lives as well. It will of course take time and plenty of patience. For those of us that call south Mississippi home, it is worth it. Like a the phoenix from the fire my town will return as beautiful as was before Katrina, and I pray that the hardship of the last month, will be a lesson for the future.

Or Maddie’s description of how hard it was to get FEMA aid —

Try lugging an infant 2 miles to the nearest place that’s giving out goods. At that point all you have energy and room for is what food you can carry or fit in a stroller. What would be hugely helpful are shopping carts, wagons, wheel barrels, etc. Things that folks can fit things in if they don’t have transport. We have one bridge open in the whole Coast area, theres one way in and one way out. That’s it. The Red Cross and FEMA seems to love to put their help centers on the other side of the Biloxi Bay in Ocean Springs….the only way to get there is the highway or boat since that bridge is out. We aren’t allowed in the water and most of us don’t have cars to drive over there and we aren’t allowed to walk on the highways…how do you get help? You can imagine the frustration. 

We heard that many of you had been through tough times of your own and people had come through for you then, and you wanted to do the same for others.

My house burnt down when I was a jr. in high school and people helped us, so I want to help someone else.

Last year, I delivered my youngest son prematurely in the middle of Hurricane Frances here in South Florida. I want to help.

We are a small town family in Six Lakes Michigan, and would love to help in any way that we can. We have 7 children and know first hand how hard life can be. Thank you for your time. Hope to help someone in need.

And local groups sprung up, taking the lead from Pittsburgh where the Gulf Coast Connection, led by Lurline Cadogan, has brought together the more than 400 people who relocated there from the Gulf Coast and have gathered and supported each other with jobs, housing, memorial services, parades, baseball games, and much more.

Throughout, you have inspired us all with the enormous and imaginative ways you gave of yourselves – from used cars and airline miles to retooled Mac computers (nearly 500 of them over the last year!), homemade soaps and quilts, baby clothes, school supplies, even beauty parlor chairs to help rebuild a lost salon.  Schoolchildren, church groups, neighborhood associations and alumnae groups came together to help people and families. 

And you have brought to life a new form of giving – connected giving – where as donors and recipients you found each other, one-to-one, so that whatever was there to be given went to a person or family who needed exactly that, often in a wrapped package with their names on it, and a thoughtful, heartfelt note inside. 

We got the first of two boxes in today (from a Been there Clearinghouse donor) and it was like xmas for Ty and I. He had his first hot bath in almost three weeks tonight. He chowed two bottles of formula, one of water, and curled up in his new crib. There hasn’t been a peep since. THANK YOU!

When the anniversary of Katrina arrived, thousands of you came back to the Clearinghouse, to give, to connect, to share your need.  It was so sad for us all that a whole year has passed and still there is so much work to be done.

For the past several months, though, with the exception of the anniversary of Katrina, the traffic to the Clearinghouse has dropped off considerably, and instead, we are sorry to say we are being overloaded with spam and other undesirable activity.  We’ve always intended for the site to operate on its own, as a community corkboard of sorts, but with spammers and others, the dynamic has changed.  Rather than close the Clearinghouse down completely, which we don’t want to do, we have decided to delete the many posts by people whose offers have been accepted or whose needs have been met, leaving up only the most recent request posts.  We are turning off the ability to add new comments, though we invite the community to email us if they have links to other resources we should include here or ideas for other ways of helping and connecting with the people of the Gulf Coast that we could post here as well. 

As we make this change, we’d like to acknowledge the great and inspiring connections that have been made here, and to pause and think of the very many people who are still struggling day to day to rebuild their lives after losing so very much. 

All our love and best wishes,

Emily and Cooper  

FROM PROJECT KATRINA:

Louisiana Medicaid is resuming its annual financial eligibility review
for all Medicaid enrollees whose renewal had been deferred due to last years’ hurricanes.

In addition, it will review Medicaid financial eligibility for all enrollees whose renewal is past due (normally reviewed annually), and whose last reported residential address is out-of-state.

Enrollees are being asked, on the renewal form, “If you are temporarily living in another state, do you intend to return to live in Louisiana?”

If the person answers, “yes,” and meets  all other criteria for financial eligibility, their Medicaid eligibility will be extended.  No additional verification will be required for continued residency.

Financial eligibility reviews can be started by mail or by telephone.

Anyone from the New Orleans area receiving Louisiana Medicaid  should make sure the Medicaid agency has their current address by calling Louisiana Medicaid’s toll-free hotline at 888-342-6207.

People with disabilities, and people aged 55 and over who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita, who have been notified that their Louisiana Medicaid benefits may be terminated may call the Advocacy Center, 800-960-7705, to see if we can assist.
Others can call Southeast Louisiana Legal Services at (877) 521-6242.

Forwarded from Project Katrina:

Child Support Enforcement Hotline…………….(877) 696-6775
For single moms due support, the US Department of Health and Human Services will send them a free handbook complete with excellent advice and all their local contact numbers for help.

Child-Care Subsidy Hotline………………………(800) 424-2246
When daycare costs are too high, there is help. The National Association of Child Care Resources is a federally funded agency. They provide helpful information about assistance in your client’s local area. They will help your caller find all options for child care payment assistance program.

Mortgage Payment Assistance …………………..(800) 750-8956
For families falling behind on mortgage payments, this national agency will work with your client’s mortgage company to arrange a workout plan to catch up missed payments. Housing counselors will discuss all options available to avoid foreclosures. Agency does not make loans or buy property.

Debt Relief Hotline……………………………….(800) 291-1042
For families struggling with credit card debts (typically over $10,000);relief is available. This national agency will contact your client’s creditors, reduce payments, interest, and even principal amounts owed. Harassing collection calls will stop.

Free Bankruptcy Advice …………………………(800) 379-0985
Families who cannot use other debt solution may need to speak with an attorney. The nation’s largest consumer law firm has made this hotline available. Your client may call for a free conversation to discuss whether debt relief under bankruptcy makes sense for them.

Discount Prescriptions ………………………….. (800) 291-1206
Families can save between 20% and 40% on their prescription medications. No exam needed. National program. No need to make trips to the pharmacy, medication shipped to the home. Call for free information.

Great news from a Been There Clearinghouse reader, Mary in NOLA:

Anyone with photos, send them to us by email: cooper.and.emily@mac.com and we will post them here!

Emily and I will never know what it was like to face Katrina head on, to live through the Superdome, to hang for dear life from a roof top, or to wade through a river that was once a street. We did not feel what it was like to not know how - or where - our family was; or the despair of losing a home, a job, a lifetime of treasures and a way of life.

We do know that even though we were hundreds of miles away, safe and dry, Katrina changed both of us, forever.

Katrina changed us because of all of you. It was a year ago today we built this site and it is one of the best things either one of us has ever done. Each and every one of you has inspired us and taught us lessons of hope, strength, generosity and love.

Last night I had the honor of attending, with my dad, a prayer service to mark the one year anniversary of the storm at Manna From on High Ministries in East Pittsburgh, PA. It was a beautiful service and I am still overcome by the amazing music and voices I heard. Recording artist Anita Levels sang two of her songs, “Restore the Soul” and “Change Comin’” and all I can say is: get her CD. She is a true and brilliant talent.  Also, the singing group Agape performed and if you know of their website, please send it to me so I can post it here. They are incredible. It was a joy to meet so many wonderful people. 

Lurline Cadogan, Chairperson of the Gulf Coast Connection here in Pittsburgh and in Philadelphia, spoke at the end of the service about her belief that the next time something like Katrina strikes, people will be prepared. But, she has learned, the power to survive and thrive depends on two things: knowledge and love. Lurline asked everyone there last night to get a copy of the U.S. Constitution and read it, to fully understand our rights and responsibilities as citizens of the United States. I promised I would post a link to the Constitution on this site: Click Here. The Constitution’s Preamble is as follows:

The Constitution of the United States Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Thank you all for everything you have done. A year has gone by, and it is not over yet. We are here as long as you need us.

If you are displaced by Katrina and living in Los Angeles, or would like to help those who are, please click here.

On the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, leading online parenting website www.momready.com, is reaching out to evacuees in Los Angeles. Through their site, Katrina evacuees currently living in L.A. can connect with individual donors locally and around the world in an online public forum. 

momready.com is offering this opportunity for their readers to offer assistance via a special section called “Make A Difference” on their www.momready.com. By posting their offerings online, readers can reach out to evacuees, who in turn can respond and receive  the items and services offered.  Evacuees can also post their specific needs for donors to respond to.

Since the hurricane, over 5,000 people displaced by Katrina have found a home in Los Angeles, the headquarters of momready.com.  One year later, these families and individuals are still desperately trying to rebuild their lives.  

momready founder Elisa Taub will be participating in the Katrina Anniversary Event  organized by the L.A. County Area Long Term Recovery Committee this Saturday, August 26^th from 10am - 2pm at the Downtown Salvation Army Building located at 906 Francisco Street, Los Angeles. If you are in Los Angeles, please stop by!
LINK:
http://www.momready.com/katrinaresource.asp
CONTACT: 
Yvonne Wolf
818-995-1046
Yvonne@momready.com

Spike Lee is releasing “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts,” his four-hour documentary on HBO this month.

The New York Times reviewed it today. Here’s a quote that got me:

‘“Levees” started out as a two-hour, $1 million film. HBO executives looking for a Hurricane Katrina project snapped it up. Mr. Lee and his crew were able to get into New Orleans after Thanksgiving, Mr. Lee said, and he quickly realized that he needed two more hours and $1 million more to give the story a full airing. He got it.

“Sheila Nevins, the film’s executive producer and the president of the documentary and family division at HBO, said “Levees” was an easy sell, at both prices. ‘“I realized this would be the film of record,” she said.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people affected by Katrina and Rita have found a home in Philadelphia. We are happy to announce that we have added a tab to the Clearinghouse for Gulf Coast citizens who have relocated to Philly and the people of Philly, and elsewhere, who want to help them.

Please use the “Philadelphia” tab above to post a need if you are relocated to Philly, or, to post a message if you want to help out. 

Emily and I recently returned from Amherst, Mass. where we attended the first annual Media Giraffe conference, “Democracy & Independence: Sharing News & Information in a Connected World” and talked about all of you here at the Clearinghouse. 

We sat on a panel with the amazing Jon Donley, the esteemed, Pulitzer prize-winning editor of NOLA.com. The three of us talked about Katrina, Jon’s experience covering the disaster from a bunker in New Orleans, and our experience of creating the Been There Clearinghouse. The title of our talk was “How Katrina Changed the News Ecology.”

According to Bill Densmore, the organizer of the conference (which was superbly done,) the conference itself was centered, in part, on the question: are the motivations of a journalist like Jon to do what he does any different than the motivations of bloggers like us to do what we do?  Jon said he entered journalism to do what he can to make the world a better place. I think Em and I would answer the same, especially when it comes to the Clearinghouse.

The conference filmed the session, and, for those of you who have, say, a spare 90 minutes, click here.

Emily, Jon and me:

We received this important information about Louisiana housing grants today from Sharon Juli of Project Katrina:

“You may want to post this on your web site. It was forwarded it to me from the director of our project.”

Here is the link - Louisiana Rebuilds Info (The Road Home.)

What is The Road Home?  The Road Home Housing Program is a plan developed by the office of Governor Kathleen Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority. This plan aims to use Community Development Block Grants to provide grants of up to $150,000 to Louisiana homeowners who owned real estate damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Please check out the link above and come back and let us know your feedback.

As a new hurricane season approaches, we must not forget about those who were affected by last years devastating storms.  Many of these people are still having problems getting their lives back on track and the disruption of a new storm season may cause them more anxiety that will only complicate their efforts to rebuild and reinvigorate their lives.

Along with this new anxiety, and the struggle to rebuild, many storm evacuees are still migrating throughout our country, seeking new places to call home.  If these people are forgotten about or pushed aside when the next big event happens, the human tragedy surrounding last years storm season will increase immensely.  That is why we must not let current events block out our memories of past ones.

Project Katrina, Pennsylvania Responds, is a FEMA funded grant program that aims to identify Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees residing in a sixteen county area in Western Pennsylvania.  There is also our sister project, Project Thrive, that serves a five county area in the Eastern part of Pennsylvania.

We can be reached, toll free, 24/hours per day, 7/days per week at 1-800-292-3866.  You can also visit us on the web at http://www.ccrinfo.org/katrinaproject.  We encourage anyone out there affected by last year’s storm season to call in today so that we can provide you with any support you need to start rebuilding your life.

Sincerely,

Sharon B. Juli, LSW

Rev. Yarbrough sent us this link to an interactive, moment-by-moment reenactment of the flooding in New Orleans the day Katrina hit. It makes clear in the most visual of ways how devastating - and immediate - the destruction was.

It just makes my heart ache.

http://www.nola.com/katrina/graphics/flashflood.swf

Yesterday I had the honor of attending a meeting of The Gulf Coast Connection here in Pittsburgh, an association of about 200 former residents of the Gulf Coast who relocated to Western PA after Katrina and Rita.

The Gulf Coast Connection is run by a force of nature named Lurline Cadogan, a resident of New Orleans until Katrina hit. Since it seems Pittsburgh is the first and only city to organize Gulf Coast evacuees into an association of this type, Ms. Cadogan has been invited to help other regions create similar groups. The first city she is helping is Philadelphia, with over 1,000 evacuees of their own.

Please click on the Pittsburgh tab, as many of the Gulf Coast Connection members here in Pittsburgh have posted items and services of which they are in need. Please note that jobs, rent-to-own homes and counseling services are among the requests.

At the meeting was a wonderful man named Dave Sevick, who, among many other things, co-runs a group that refurbishes used computers (Mac and some PCs) and provides them at a very low cost to those who are in need of a computer system and can’t afford one. Mr. Sevick, along with Bob Donaldson (another great guy), have coordinated the refurbishment and shipping of hundreds of computers to the Gulf Coast in the past couple months. Mr. Sevick announced at the meeting yesterday that he currently has numerous computers available for the Gulf Coast evacuees in Pittsburgh, should they need a system. Dave Sevick is an amazing person and what he is doing is truly inspirational. For more information on Mr. Sevick and his program visit The North Pittsburgh Macintosh Users Group website. 

Dave Sevick and his group are a beautiful example of how one-on-one connections make it all happen when we are trying to help each other!

The devastation suffered by the citizens of the Gulf Coast is not going away anytime soon. Lives and livelihoods were washed away overnight. But, the thing is, even if it took just hours to be yanked away, rebuilding lives can, and will, take years. Please do what you can by searching through this site and seeing if there is any way you can help. If you are interested in setting up a Gulf Coast Connection in your region, or you have any questions about the group, contact Lurline Cadogan through the Gulf Coast Connection web site (link here).        

Rev. Yarbrough of Plaquemine, LA sent us this video. The pictures and music say it all.

http://gmagic.com/katrina/

I have an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today about an amazing person, the Rev. Marlon Yarbrough, who is doing what he can, through his own initiative, to help his friends, family and neighbors in New Orleans. Click here for a link to that piece.

The Reverend is doing what many of the “institutions” are not - helping small, home-based businesses in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans - a beauty parlor, a print shop, a graphics business, a daycare. He is seeking in-kind donations and seed money to get the businesses back on their feet. It is truly inspiring and wonderful – and progress is already being made!

In the next few weeks, trucks driven by representatives of the Western PA Methodist Center will deliver to those businesses computers refurbished by the North Pittsburgh Macintosh Users Group. For more information on the group’s Gulf Coast outreach visit www.thecenterforhope.com.

Just yesterday a top hairstylist in Pittsburgh offered the beauty parlor (Elka’s Beauty Expressed) three of his salon chairs. Now we just have to find a way to ship them.

To see the list of in-kind donations the Rev. has identified for the small businesses he is helping, click on the “Small Businesses” tab above or click here. 

Reverend Yarbrough can be reached by email: info@yarbroughministries.com or through his website: www.yarbroughministries.com

Since we started the Clearinghouse, Emily and I have made a commitment to sticking to what we are doing here, focusing on getting help to those who lost so much in the hurricanes and staying away from the politics of the situation. Having just returned from New Orleans I can’t stay quiet anymore. What is happening in that city is so very, desperately wrong.

Guided by Reverend Marlon Yarbrough, a native of New Orleans, as well as a minister and practicing lawyer, we toured the most devastated areas of that city, mainly the 9th Ward.

Yesterday I had an interesting talk with Dr. Ron Peters, professor of Urban Ministry at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and he compared the barely half-hearted attempts to help the victims of Katrina to 9/11.

What can we do? Well, Reverend Yarbrough has an answer, and all of you do too. The only real progress we can make is by helping the victims of Katrina and Rita ourselves, working one to one, person to person. Just like what is happening here at the Clearinghouse. Reverend Yarbrough is working to revitalize small businesses, obtaining in-kind donations and seed money to get the businesses off their feet. I have a story about his endeavor running in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday. Please visit the new section of our site, ”Small Businesses,” to see the list of in-kind donations needed by the small businesses the Rev. has identified. Click here or the tab above.

We can help pull lives back together again; it just will have to be one person at a time. Given the government’s inability and disregard of this horrible catastrophe, person to person is the best we can do.      

Because of each of you - those who come to this site looking for a little help and those who offer it - the Been There Clearinghouse has been named the Most Inspirational Blog of 2005 by the Best of Blog Awards. Emily and I are inspired every day by you and for that reason it is to you we dedicate this award. 

We wanted to share this article that ran in the Larchmont Gazette last week about the Clearinghouse.