A friend of mine muses,
Americans are not used to this at all. So many people are going to become long-term refugees. We have such a rich nation with so many resources, I think many people do not understand why the situation is so impossible for the thousands of people trying to evacuate New Orleans (and in the mean time, get food, water, shelter, and working toilet). All of a sudden we are in India, not home, and we are looking at deplorable conditions for many people and relief that has more than a few obstacles on the way.But here are some things that can be done:
Mike at The Spiral Arm asks,
How much a month do you spend on books? On your broadband/net access? On your various web accounts?(Via Conversational Reading)
What if we, the lit-blogging community, committed to donating the money we would spend on books, etc. in the month of September to Katrina relief? I know that my wife and I probably spend at least $100 on books every month. So in September, we plan on giving up new book purchases and donating that hundred bucks to the Red Cross.
How can you help? Donate to the Red Cross or your favorite relief organization today. No amount is too small. Then, tell your blog readers what you are doing and encourage them to do the same.
Maud also has excellent ideas, as does Booksquare.
1 comment:
I also suggested to my readers that if they have the space available and live in a town easily accessible from New Orleans (even if it means a bit of a drive), they consider offering a bed, cot, or sofa to someone without a home.
I also recommended the American Red Cross as a target for donations, but several people suggested that the Salvation Army was a more deserving charity. In any case, it seems people from all over the world are opening their pocketbooks, homes, and hearts to those in need right now. It's too bad it takes a catastrophe such as this to waken generosity in folks.
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