thank you qatar for the 100 million dollars relief.
 

and thank you to all the countries who are generously sending help during this colossal tragedy.

i wish stable health to all the affected.

may they find their loved ones safe and sound, and find the strength to face the future.

with everyone's help we can make a difference.

please donate to your favorite charity NOW,
And later.. and later.

We will not forget to keep helping. This will not be over soon.

Yes, thank you Qatar and all other countries especially Sri Lanka who is generously giving $25,000. This gesture must be valued just as highly as Qatar's because of the equal sacrifice it represents.

It is so important that we accept these gifts from all the countries offering (including Cuba) and show our appreciation. Maybe this will allow one small positive thing to happen in an otherwise miserable situation.

I was thrilled when I tuned into the news this morning and heard that others contries were actually sending us some support. Time for a role reversal!

That does not surprise me at all. I have some very dear, close friends in Qatar. I have been welcomed to many homes in this little monarchy state over the years. The people geniuenly love Americans. There is always the 5% that hate everything and everybody, but the ones that actually have a life, are very proud people.
One of the first calls I received after the storm, was from a very good friend and a working partner, his wife and their children from Qatar, asking about my situation and then immediately offering to help the victims. He is part of the royal family, extremely oil rich, holding a high position in his countriy's security services. I suggested either Red Cross or Salvation Army and I'm not sure, but I think I heard a sum of $1M mentioned.

I think Cuba's offer was outstanding. What a way to start mending fences.

This is the first I'm hearing of this as I missed the world news today. This news gives my spirits a much needed lift.

Where did you read about Qatar?

Fox News reported yesterday that Canada is sending warships with suppplies and personnel to help. (I guess most of our troops are still too busy looking for WMD in Iraq)

Found it this time
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/nati...ld-Offers.html

i was watching larry king's "what you can do " program and they were listing the thousands of relief offers rolling in.

Kuwait has now offered $500 million in oil products. How fabulous!

Its great to see that some of these oil rich countries are returning the favor for the blood we shed protecting them, their oil, and their wealth. I think they could afford to send more although.

Yesterday on my wait for my connecting flight from Baton Rouge to Florida, I saw a French Rescue Team that was being sent into New Orleans. I told them they will have their work cut out for them. That is particularly generous of France, considering the whole "freedom fries" debacle.

The Baton Rouge airport is filled with helicopters and other military equipment. Strange times we're living in!

I thought I'd share an interesting story I learned from a fellow evacuee last night. This was a caucasian woman that was probably 19 years old who came from Chalmette, a lower income area on the outskirts of New Orleans that was hard hit by the Katrina. She has two young chilren that she was traveling with- one 2 years old and one 6 weeks old. She did not know how to swim but managed to swim her way out as the flood waters grew to her nose. She put her children in rubbermaid containers and tried to shelter them from the dead bodies they say along the way. This poor woman did not have any means, and her ticket was bought by a generous nurse who took her and her children home from the Baton Rouge shelter. She did not know if her mother made it out of the house, and she said that her mother was the only family that she had. She was going to stay with one of the children's father in Tampa. She told me that she had never been to the airport or flown, so I helped her navigate ATL's airport as she was very overwhelmed during our trip to catch the flight to Tampa.

my lord.

still wiping the tears.

and she is a lucky one.

Amen, lincasanova, amen.

Thousands and thousands of sad and terrifying stories! Again, and I have said this so many times, the day to day problems we "think" we have...what a wake up call as to how fortunate most of us are. Blessings to all.

"Its great to see that some of these oil rich countries are returning the favor for the blood we shed protecting them, their oil, and their wealth. I think they could afford to send more although."

It's disappointing to see a whiney "now it's payback time" attitude at this time. Isn't it enough that some of the poorest countries in the world are sending aid to the biggest and richest? Thankfully this is not representative of Americans at large.

And get real, jorr - do you really think the intervention on behalf of Kuwait (the only state I can think of that qualifies) by your country, mine and others was motivated by altruism? You said the words yourself - "oil rich".

I did not expect so many countries to offer aid to the US, and I am touched by this response. I feel grateful to any nation that cares enough to help us in this time of crisis. I would venture to say those who have lost everything would agree.

Folks, setting aside the screen name, this post is genuine. We care.
_____________________

Ok, so after donating to my charity of choice, I couldn't sit still. I wanted to go and offer help directly, but that wasn't feasable.

Instead, I have done the only thing I know I can do quickly and effectively...build a website!

I have created a Hurricane Family Help portal located at http://www.hurricanefamilyhelp.org

1st things 1st - we DO NOT accept donations.

Here is the stated purpose:

1) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer immediate SHORT TERM shelter.

2) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer LONG TERM shelter.

3) To unite the survivors with family and friends.

4) To find full or part time employment opportunities for hurricane victims.

5) To provide contact information for charities, communities, and churches offering assistance.

Thank you,
Craig