Common Ground Relief/NOLA needs help

[Neecy]

This is a good organization and they need help in housing/feeding the many volunteers who'll be arriving in New Orleans during Spring Break. Any dollar you can spare would go a long way. Here's a brief blurb from their site, and if you click on the link you can reach their donor page.

The City of New Orleans has iniatiated a “Good Neighbor” Program. Thousands of residents—many of whom are elderly and disabled--are now facing the possibility of having their homes repossed by the City, if their properties are not gutted, mold abated, and boarded up. Instead of providing the needed resources to those who need assistance, the local government is referring residents to non-profit organizations like Common Ground.

In response, Common Ground is currently organizing another demonstration of national solidarity and civic responsibility. It is again Spring Break Season, and over the next month, close to 1500 volunteers (mostly students) will be supporting New Orleans' residents through Common Ground relief efforts. Consequently, our organization now faces the challenge of funding their meals, basic accomodations, safety equipment, demolition supplies, and transportation to work sites.

Since September 2005, Common Ground has housed, fed and supplied over 12,000 volunteers so that they can to gut houses and clean communities in New Orleans. Those 12,000 volunteers have spent an average of $250 each during their stay in New Orleans, pumping over $2,750,000 into New Orleans economy.

Common Ground receives not one cent of local, state or federal funding for attempting to control and support the many volunteers that come to New Orleans to help. Although Common Ground receives funds for specific projects, such as medical clinics and enviornmental cleanup, we have fallen short on funds to support our volunteer center in the Upper Ninth Ward.

We're hoping that a broad grassroots call for small donations will help us provide the support for the many eager volunteers that want so much to make a difference, but need some basic services while they volunteer. Even a small contribution at this time will help provide volunteers their basic needs for the upcoming spring break.


http://www.commongroundrelief.org/node/426

[Mojorabbit]

1. k&r