40 Ways In 40 Days: Remembering the Survivors of Katrina: Day 2

[Plaid Adder]

Day 2, Way 2

Though most of the media attention during the actual crisis was focused on New Orleans, the Mississippi gulf coast was hit just as hard, and the need is still great. If you want to know how how great, check out this photo essay posted by DUer intheflow. Intheflow has hooked me up with some recommendations on organizations doing work in Mississippi, so I am proud to declare Thursday, March 2 the beginning of Mississippi Week here at the War Journal.

Yes, I know Mississippi's state legislature is in the process of banning abortion. But I don't hold with punishing ordinary civilians for the idiocies of their elected leaders. I mean, really, where would any of us be.

So we'll start off with an organization that has been recommended to me by a few different people:

Hands On Network

Hands On Network is part of Hands On USA, and is a secular organization devoted to "bring people together to strengthen communities through meaningful volunteer action">. Their hurricane relief effort is based in Biloxi and involved in a range of recovery projects ranging from debris removal and santiation to the distribution of supplies, and for the animal lovers there is also a project in support of the overwhelmed local Humane Societies. If you have money but no time, you can donate online, and if you have time but no money, you can go down to Biloxi and pitch in.

In contrast to the Common Ground Collective, Hands On has quite a number of well-heeled corporate sponsors, including Coca-Cola, and appears to take the position that instead of being resisted to the death corporations should instead be co-opted. Brave attempt; I have my doubts. However, that doesn't change the fact that this organization is doing a lot of important work in a region which has not the glitz and glamor necessary to catch the attention of the magpie media. It also means that if you go down there to volunteer, they will feed you, and you will not have to sleep in the mud.

Two! Two beautiful ways! A ha ha ha ha!

The Plaid Adder