Hurricane Relief Fund:
How Your Donations Have Made a Difference

The Quota network is at its finest! YOUR donations, from all over the Quota world, have arrived where they were desperately needed—in the hands of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas Quotarians who have been working tirelessly to help the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Fifteen applications for District 21 relief projects were approved by the We Share Foundation Board of Trustees, and checks totaling $48,358 have been mailed to the affected areas. Quotarians can be proud that all funds contributed to the relief fund have now been distributed, and they were well spent—helping hundreds of women, children, deaf and disabled individuals, and schools and families in need across the United States Gulf Coast.

Here's where your funds went:

As of March 29, 2006

Restoring Homes: $456
Southeast Texas Quotarians continue to help families in the three counties that they serve clean-up and start over after Hurricane Rita. In partnership with another local relief committee, they are working to restore homes that received substantial damage for families who have no insurance or are underinsured. They will use We Share relief funds to assist these families with supplies needed to set up a household, i.e., cleaning supplies, light bulbs, mops, and brooms.

As of March 17, 2006

Supplying Families with Basic Needs: $1,428
Hurricane Katrina did not directly hit Jackson, Mississippi, but that didn’t stop local Quotarians from springing into action in the weeks after the storm. Members made every effort to address a particular need as it arose in their community, supplying baby items, paper goods, tents, cleaning supplies, over the counter medications, and toiletry items to families who has lost so much as well as school supplies for displaced students in local schools. Funds from around the Quota world made this effort possible.

Providing Summer Fun for Kids: $2,500
More than 700 children are expected to attend the City of Gulfport, Mississippi’s summer program this year, but most of the recreational supplies needed for this day camp were lost in the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Arts and crafts supplies, sports equipment, games and office supplies are needed to provide a fun-filled summer for these children—the majority from low income families with no place to go while school is out of session. “At a time when many of our children’s lives have been disrupted and totally turned upside down, we hope to provide a recreation escape for these children,” says Gulfport’s Leisure Services director. Members of Quota International of Mississippi Gulf Coast will use Quotarian donations to provide the necessary supplies to get this important summer program back on its feet.

As of January 12, 2006

Providing Relief in a Time of Transition: $5,000
The physical damage Hurricane Rita delivered to the homes and businesses of Southeast Texas residents was serious, but the delay in financial assistance is increasing the crisis. Insurance claims have not yet been processed. Trailers are just now (3 months after the hurricane) being delivered to those who could not live in their homes. In addition, fallen trees, stumps, and other debris have not been removed, making it hard to resume everyday activities.

Members of the Southeast Texas Quota Club will use Quotarian donations to assist disadvantaged families in the area, providing as much relief as possible for daily living expenses. In addition, they will help with the relocation of families to transitional housing, and they will purchase books and supplies to help local college students continue their education.

As of January 6, 2006

Helping Families Live Independently: $1,000
The people of Shreveport, Louisiana, have come together to provide emergency housing, food, and clothing for several thousand temporary residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now Shreveport is absorbing many hurricane evacuees for the long-term. Shreveport Quota members, in partnership with Providence House, a local non-profit organization serving homeless families, will aid 50 relocated families—moving them from homelessness to independence. Quotarian relief funds will provide the families shelter, food, and other necessities of life while helping the adults further their education, find work, and learn to manage their finances.

As of November 14, 2005

Providing Warming Blankets for Tent City Evacuees: $5,000
Two and one-half months after Hurricane Katrina, thousands of people who lost their homes and places of employment are still living in tent cities in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. Winter temperatures have arrived, getting down in the 40s (degrees Fahrenheit) at night. Local Quota members spent hours contacting Sears, JCPenney, and Walmart to find the best price for new blankets to help these community members survive the nights; the chain store Bed, Bath and Beyond came through and will sell the Mississippi Gulf Coast Quota club over 400 warm, cotton, double-sized blankets for $12 each and not charge for shipping. Quota members will directly distribute the blankets throughout the tent cities working with the Red Cross, which is grateful for the assistance.

As of November 10, 2005

Supporting Women in Crisis: $5,000
Damage from Hurricane Katrina is preventing the Gulf Coast Women's Center for Nonviolence in Biloxi, Mississippi, from providing programs for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and for family members of homicide victims. The infrastructure of cities and towns that they serve has been severely damaged, making services impossible to access. Many of the organization’s staff and volunteers have had to permanently leave their positions to relocate to areas where jobs and housing are more readily available. The agency’s expenses are rising and its funding, like that of other nonprofits in the area, is in jeopardy. Local funds will most likely be redirected to the rebuilding effort.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Quota Club is helping to get this very important organization back on its feet. Quotarian donations will be used for items such as computers, supplies, and furniture and for restoring the preschool playground area, travel expenses for outreach workers, and relocation expenses for clients.

As of November 2, 2005

Supporting our Schools and a Family in Need: $5,350
Parish schools in Ruston, Louisiana, have been greatly impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Over 600 new children are in the schools as a result of families relocating there after the hurricane. Ruston Quotarians will use We Share funds in partnership with the Lincoln Parish School Board to purchase 102 school uniforms ($35 each) and 102 physical education uniforms ($15 each) for the children.

In addition, a Ruston club member’s family in Waveland, Mississippi, lost everything. Her parents; brother; and her sister,
brother-in-law, and their two children evacuated to Ruston and were able to find a house to rent. To help the family set up housekeeping, club members donated items for a housewarming event.

Additional We Share donations will be used for a microwave, kitchen items, and a gift card from Wal-Mart to help the family purchase necessary clothing items.

As of October 26, 2005

Helping Children Escape: $5,000
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Boys and Girls Clubs provided after school care, tutoring, social activities, and physical fitness programs every day for nearly 1,000 children at seven sites on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Families from Biloxi to Bay St. Louis lost their critical child support when Katrina completely destroyed three Boys and Girls Club sites and administrative offices in Biloxi, which also housed the children’s computer labs and the Bingo Hall, the main source of the organization’s income. The other four sites sustained moderate to severe damage. Everything from books to computers to sporting equipment was lost. In addition, the City of Biloxi recently announced that its annual contribution to the organization, approximately $150,000 a year, must be completely eliminated.

Now 500 children a day are enrolled in temporary programs at four local schools. Even though Boys and Girls Club officials report that these clubs are seeing an increase in new membership (many children that may never have joined prior to the storm), so many regular members are not being served, because there is simply no place to meet. According to the club’s officials, these children are hungry for anything that allows them to “escape” the horrors that they have experienced and the displaced feelings they’re living with daily. Mississippi Gulf Coast Quotarians, who partnered with the Boys and Girls Club before the storm, will use We Share Foundation funds to purchase critical equipment—computer labs, supplies, and sports equipment—for the organization.

As of October 20, 2005

Helping Families without Homes: $5,000
Physical damage from Hurricane Rita, the second major hurricane to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast this year, has affected each member of the Southeast Texas Quota club, either at their home or business. Most are out of jobs temporarily, and their community looks like a war zone. Southeast Texas is in a state of emergency, and the world has not seen how the region has suffered, as media attention has focused on Mississippi and Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Community members have had little success with relief assistance from major organizations, which are overwhelmed as a result of the two back-to-back natural disasters. There is a great deal of confusion and limited resources.

Local non-profit organizations are providing as much relief as they can, but local fund-raising and service activities are severely limited due to lack of facilities and volunteers. Even Quota’s Southeast Texas club’s major fund-raiser had to be canceled—the civic center where they hold the event lost its roof. We Share funds will be used by the club to assist disadvantaged families in Southeast Texas in setting up homes.

As of October 5, 2005

Aiding Families with Deaf Members: $5,124
The impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast will be devastating to charitable organizations in the area for many years to come, because so many residents have lost so much. Assistance for rebuilding will have to come from outside sources, like Quota International.

One third of all buildings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are destroyed or condemned and many more severely damaged. The deLepee Deaf Center was one of the few buildings in the community that did not sustain damages, so it was turned into a relief center for distribution of supplies. It has given away so much to the general public that their food pantry is completely depleted. Eight families with deaf members were displaced by Katrina and suffered catastrophic losses. Of those eight, six lost their TTY machines.

We Share Funds will be used by Mississippi Gulf Coast Quotarians for six TTY machines ($1,500), linens for eight displaced families ($1,624), and non-perishable food for the Deaf Center pantry ($2,000).

As of September 30, 2005

Funding the Basics: $3,000
The Texas communities of Beaumont and Port Arthur and adjacent areas—less than 5 hours from New Orleans—have been receiving evacuees since prior to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. Local resources were strained helping evacuees; then Hurricane Rita hit, the communities were evacuated, and now they are struggling with a different set of issues. Damage to the area is still being assessed.

Quotarian donations in partnership with other organizations will help the Southeast Texas club:

• fund basic food, shelter and clothing needs for evacuees and local residents
  
  
• assist those in need of hearing aids, assistive hearing devices, batteries/ repairs, and other related needs
  
  
• provide school supplies for children in need

Any remaining funds will go to displaced women and children to help them find employment in the area.

Providing for Our Kids: $1,500
Thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina are in Bossier City. More than 700 students have been placed in Bossier Parish schools with no supplies or uniforms. This is especially difficult for inner-city schools with little income to spare.

Funds will be used by Bossier City Quotarians for supplies ($600) and uniforms ($900) for elementary schools. In addition, QI of Kalamazoo, Michigan, donated 1,700 new t-shirts, a portion of which will be distributed to Katrina students in all Bossier schools.

Rebuilding Lives: $1,500
Evacuees from Hurricane Katrina who have moved to the parishes of North Louisiana are staying with family and friends or living in shelters. At the moment, their basic needs of shelter, food, and clothing are being met. Helping people find and keep jobs is the best way to now support these victims of Katrina as they begin to rebuild their lives.

We Share funds will be used by the Bossier City club in partnership with Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana to help hurricane victims connect with employers through job fairs, job assistance workshops, and job placement assistance. Job fairs are planned for Shreveport, Bossier City, Haughton, Minden, Ruston, Bastrop, Alexandria, and Pineville.

Serving Individuals with Disabilities: $1,500
Developmentally disabled individuals in South Louisiana were evacuated and moved to other areas of the state, while requiring specialized supervision 24 hours a day. Evergreen Foundation coordinated complete evacuations of 110 clients from community homes before the hurricane with the necessary staff in place alongside them. There is damage to each of the Foundation's homes affected by Hurricane Katrina as well as flooding in all eight group homes in the Lake Charles area affected by Hurricane Rita.

Quotarian funds will be used by the Bossier City club in partnership with Evergreen Foundation for transportation costs, additional staff, clothing, and food needed to supply sufficient care for these developmentally disabled people.

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