Red Cross?

nolaegghead

RRP said:

nolaegghead said:

I'm just always an assh0le.

LOL - maybe, but here's my honest question for you.  When Katrina hit and NO was in such serious straits were you personally affected, or had close friends who were? Maybe you have answered that before but I don't recall...let alone know where you live in the NO vicinity. 

Bunch of people I know lost their houses.  Some were reduced to rubble.  Most were flooded.

We rode out the storm at Touro hospital.  That was hell.  Power went out, windows broke and in the next few days generators failed, no AC, very few lights, I didn't sleep much, wondered around the hospital.  There were trails of blood on the floor.  The water supply failed. The toilets were overflowing, place stunk, helicopters constantly evacuating patients.   Could have been a lot worse.

Then we got out of town after a few days.  Couldn't go home because the Gretna police were in full Armageddon mode and closed the exits to our neighborhood (even though they didn't police New Orleans).   That was probably a good thing because we didn't have power.  We left to Brirmingham with a half tank of gas. 

We spent about 20% the total gas it took us to get to Birmingham finding more gas.  We didn't know the status of our house.

A buddy of mine still in the neighborhood called us.  He had a housekey and commandeered my pickup, which he used to deliver food and rescue people.  He emptied our fridge and reported our house was not damaged.

Once the power came on, two weeks after the storm, we came back.  The general population wasn't allowed back in New Orleans, but we both work for emergency services and had special passes that let us go everywhere.

About 10% of the people in our neighborhood never left.  There was a curfew and the Army was patrolling with humvees and M4s on foot.

Inspecting our property, we had some minor water damage to the front floor from wind-blown water, the floor in the kitchen was water damaged and we had to replace.  Not from flooding, but from the refrigerator running for a couple days with the doors propped open.  Insurance didn't cover that.

All our fences were down, seems like all the neighbors trees fell into our yard.  Roof mostly blown off the shed.  20 garbage bags of debris in yard.  Audi A8 gas tank was stabbed and drained.  Some a-hole bashed in our back door (one of those freaks in survival mode - I know him, a neighbor, now deported back to Ireland).  Guy was looking for survival supplies (AKA "Booze").  Nothing stolen that we noticed.

No grocery stores, very few operating gas stations, lines, barely any people for months.  Spent a lot of time helping friends salvage personal junk from their property, eating MREs, canned crap.  Every once and a while someone would come back in town with some actual fresh meat and veggies and it was like the best food we've ever eaten.

So, compared to many, we were very lucky.

nolaegghead

Even though I couldn't work for a few months because the office couldn't run without communications and power infrastructure (and most of the people were in other cities), my company paid me and everyone else without using vacation.  I work for a very good company, been there 27 years.  There was a fund/vacation drive for those that had houses that were flooded or destroyed.  Most of them had to rent apartments until their houses were rebuilt, which took years.

I had another house that was built in the 1860s, it is built like a tank and was fine, garage torn up.  Insurance company hosed me and cancelled my policy.  I sold the place.

nolaegghead

We didn't ask for or accept any aid except food and water, which was given out everywhere.  You just grabbed what you needed.

We don't need to get ready for hurricanes anymore.  We have a standby generator that runs the whole house, enough food for at least two months.  Plenty of water and other things to drink.  I'm not one of those people waiting in lines before a storm.

nolaegghead

PS - I live on the West bank of New Orleans.  The levees broke on the East bank.  So no flooding except the usual from rain.

RRP

Thanks for your in depth reply - I had no idea.

maso

@nolaegghead I get it. I'm here on a forum for a luxury item. However at the time I lost my house I had only been out of school for a short time. Just bought our first house les than 90 days prior. I am thankful that we were just staring our lives so we didn't lose decades of sentimental things. 

My point was was that this organization proposes to be a disaster relief organization and yet won't help those that need it. It doesn't take much to not qualify for FEMA. Basically a two income family and you're out. Trust me I had bigger things to worry about than being slighted. But my takeaway is that suuport in times like this from local sources (small groups, not RC) is more impactful. 

JohnInCarolina

maso said:

@nolaegghead I get it. I'm here on a forum for a luxury item. However at the time I lost my house I had only been out of school for a short time. Just bought our first house les than 90 days prior. I am thankful that we were just staring our lives so we didn't lose decades of sentimental things. 

My point was was that this organization proposes to be a disaster relief organization and yet won't help those that need it. It doesn't take much to not qualify for FEMA. Basically a two income family and you're out. Trust me I had bigger things to worry about than being slighted. But my takeaway is that suuport in times like this from local sources (small groups, not RC) is more impactful. 

The RC was likely letting FEMA screen for the needy.  It's triage when supplies are finite.

Kayak

If you are still interested, the Houston Chronicle has a nice list of charities posted online.

http://http//www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Hurricane-Harvey-How-to-help-victims-of-the-12003372.php

My concern with all of the national ones, is that they turn right around and bombard you with mailings requesting more money. Thus spending your donation...

maso

JohnInCarolina said:

maso said:

@nolaegghead I get it. I'm here on a forum for a luxury item. However at the time I lost my house I had only been out of school for a short time. Just bought our first house les than 90 days prior. I am thankful that we were just staring our lives so we didn't lose decades of sentimental things. 

My point was was that this organization proposes to be a disaster relief organization and yet won't help those that need it. It doesn't take much to not qualify for FEMA. Basically a two income family and you're out. Trust me I had bigger things to worry about than being slighted. But my takeaway is that suuport in times like this from local sources (small groups, not RC) is more impactful. 

The RC was likely letting FEMA screen for the needy.  It's triage when supplies are finite.

I think that's kind of @henapple point? If you watch any tv or social media or breathe all you hear about is donating to the RC. How are they so unprepared that they have to restrict themselves to helping only a few people? I get that they can't be ready for everyone and every event. But oh boy were they ready with loan applications when they tell you that they can't help you. 

Im the mean time please walk this way into the church/community center/whatever. Oh drivers license shows you were effected? Please feel free to grab any supplies toiletries etc that all your neighbors and local business have donated. That's my point. Local. Even lowes was driving around trucks into the neighborhoods passing out buckets gloves bags. The community is way more effective at response for the individual.  

nolaegghead

maso said:

@nolaegghead I get it. I'm here on a forum for a luxury item. However at the time I lost my house I had only been out of school for a short time. Just bought our first house les than 90 days prior. I am thankful that we were just staring our lives so we didn't lose decades of sentimental things. 

My point was was that this organization proposes to be a disaster relief organization and yet won't help those that need it. It doesn't take much to not qualify for FEMA. Basically a two income family and you're out. Trust me I had bigger things to worry about than being slighted. But my takeaway is that suuport in times like this from local sources (small groups, not RC) is more impactful. 

I'm sorry you lost your house.  I don't know the circumstances, relief organizations have different vectors for aid based on the circumstances and scale of disasters. 

People take their personal experience which represents a tiny fraction of the big picture and extrapolate the MO of an organization.  FEMA only gets involved in large scale disasters, the RC mostly operates on house fire victims.

Here's some more information:

http://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief

YukonRon

Our family in NOLA came up here during Katrina. We have hosted many families, since we bought our home, in emergency situations.
It is always better doing so, when situations are not so dire. Either way, folks are always welcome here.
As for the Red Cross, I do not do much with them. I work with the Salvation Army, mostly.

nolaegghead

I can't count the number of Red Cross food truck meals I had.  The food sucks, but at least it's hot.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of church and aid centers in Houston.  Of course they're going to respond to a major disaster like this.  They fill in where they're needed and coordinate with other agencies. 

dmchicago

Legume said:

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

I'm looking for corporate matching situations where I can, to maximize it.  If anyone knows of any, please post.

Tomlinson s in Austin. 

The pet supply store?  Can't find it on their website - do you know where I can find info?

I made a purchase and the clerk mentioned it. There was a counter top display mentioning it as well.