Because at some point the little guys and gals are going to have to take over and start making smart, real time, fiscally responsible decisions. Not only in relief efforts, but in all other aspects of our economy and government as well.
WUBA Hurricane Ike Relief Effort
Ike Relief Update 10-6-08
Afternoon all, the push to continue to keep supplies rolling to the Gulf Coast continues. This morning we shipped out three sets of packages with medical supplies and some cleaning supplies. The first set of two boxes went to the Bridge City Fire Department. It contained burn kits, bandages, first aid kits, Neosoprin, an air splint and more. The second set of boxes went to Eagle Heights Fellowship in Baytown. This is a shelter being run by a local pastor and seems to be one of the few shelters in this area that will remain open for the next four to six weeks. The supplies in these three boxes included CPR kits, first aid kits, disinfectant wipes, gloves, and more. The third set of three boxes were shipped to EmmyRose which she will personally deliver to the San Leon/Baycliff area. They included many of the same items listed above. We have estimated the value of these seven boxes to be between $4000 and $5000 which we shipped for just under $350.
We are also continuing to work with several corporations in order to procure donated goods which have been specifically requested by Chambers, Harris, and Orange Counties. Will continue to update on those efforts after we have solid commitments from each. Over 5,000 square feet of warehouse space has also been donated to us in Atlanta; which will serve as a centrally located distribution point. This will allow us to have corporate donated goods sent to a central location from which they can then be kitted and transported to various distribution points and shelters. A trucker and truck which will pick up and deliver goods for the cost of fuel. With all of this going on we are also entering the next phase of or our push to make Portlight a sustainable entity that will be able to facilitate the needs of the under served, unserved, and forgotten people for years to come. In order to help support this mindset we are beginning a monthly donor program. There will be more on this in the next few days as well as progress on getting supplies in hands; please consider what you may be able to give on a monthly basis. Thanks!
More supplies on the way...
9-27-08 Update
We have now sent four trucks to several areas in Texas including Bridge City, Winnie, and Anahauc. The supplies that have already been delivered include food, drinks, and many other necessities. We have also delivered supplies to the disabilities community in Houston and League City. Thanks to presslord, Rainman32, Nlimbo, Pat, and Icepilot for following through on the deliveries of supplies. Also a big thanks to FLDART1 and Will for providing myself and presslord's wife with an essential escort that allowed us to gain access to normally un-accessible areas as well as putting us in contact with the correct people in the correct communities. Thanks to Emmy and code for the accommodations and food which also helped us conserve travel expenses.
Now a little about my personal experience from being in the area. Many of you may have seen the picture I posted of the Bridge City FD crew looking at my laptop and using my air card. If you have not seen it I suggest you view it and read the caption. Needless to say, this was one of the more emotional experiences of the journey for me. Some of the other things that really spoke to me were the folks in Bridge City talk about how they felt "forgotten" compared to the Houston/Galveston area. Chambers County now has a central distribution center that is delivering supplies to the local distribution centers in Anahuac, Winnie, Oak Island, and soon High Island. Along with working with the Bridge City distribution center we will also be working to get supplies to the centralized distribution center in Chambers County.
Portlight is currently working on meeting some of the needs that were gained through all of our efforts; but we are also working to make sure we get these supplies to the area in the most efficient area. That said, driving truck halfway across the country is not the most effective means to do this. By working with freight lines and utilizing delivery options from the likes of Lowes, Walmart, and other companies we intend to find the most efficient way to meet the needs of the impacted areas. Ensuring that we operate efficiently is critical to making a dollar go as far as it can. At this point we have raised just over $25,000 and we have spent just over $13,000 getting the first four trucks in to the area. These four trucks have delivered between $150,000 and $200,000 worth of supplies. The intent is to continue to pursue and implement this kind of cost effectiveness in all of our efforts.
We are currently working to get more supplies tot he area and will continue to do this as long as the funding is there. We also hope to pursue a toy drive for the kids at Christmas time, but we will update more on this later as we are concentrating on the immediate needs right now.
Thank you all for the support, and more importantly then any one of us, the folks of Texas send their heart felt thanks. Please continue to contribute as you can and also know that we are working on a monthly donor plan in order to continue to provide relief and support to the "forgotten people".
PREVIOUS ENTRY...
As most of you know, several WU members are currently working to assist the folks that have been impacted by Hurricane Ike. The goal of this project are to provide assistance and supplies to the folks that are off the beaten path that often do not get the same relief as the mainstream areas. There are many ways to donate and help the folks in Tx and La, and however you feel is appropriate; please help out. If not through this effort, then through many of the others.
Presslord has been kind enough to use a charity that he has run for over 10 years as the face of this effort. The name of the organization is Portlight Strategies, Inc. You can currently donate by check and PayPal. If you send checks, the faster they can get to Portlight the better as we plan to be on the road by the end of the week. All checks should be made payable to:
Portlight Strategies, Inc.
2043 Maybank Hwy.
Charleston, SC 29412
MEMO: Hurricane Ike Relief
Or donate through PayPal.
Portlight has sole access and responsibility for all funds.
Portlight Stratagies will be in charge of all funds, and make sure that the supplies and monies get in the hands of those that need it most. They are also working with several entities in South Carolina to raise additional funds.
Here is more on this organization
Portlight Strategies, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit tax exempt organization founded in 1997 for the purpose of providing medical equipment and other services primarily to people with disabilities. This was also the host organization for the Spirit of ADA Torch relay which visited 24 cities in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. All funds will be transparently accounted for in a separate dedicated account and posted on Pat's blog and are a matter of public record through the organizations IRS Form 990 which can be reviewed at Charity Navigator or the IRS. For the last 6 years over 90% of all donated funds to this group have gone to direct program services. This can be verified at the South Carolina Secretary of State website: www.scsos.com...click Public Charities and then charity search....enter Portlight
This arrangement serves several purposes:
-all contributions will be tax deductible as allowed by federal law
-all accounting is public record
-No one will have a personal tax liability on the funds
-checks and balances on accountability for all monies received...
-affiliation with a national nonprofit with a proven track record of credibility
Thanks, and please remember it does not matter how you choose to help as long as you help in some fashion.
Truck 1 with medical equipment for the disabilities community and specifically Emmy!
Truck 2 has been delivered to Bridge City and Winnie; truck three plans under way now! Can't really figure out why anyone would want to see PRESS IN A DRESS; but if it gets the third truck to these areas on time, then I don't care why!!!
Pics from truck 2
The ladies of the Charleston Disabilities Resource Center and the best of the best of the Live 5 News Crew! Thanks to both for their assistance!
presslord! What an outstanding gen....ummm...man!
These picture don't even really do justice to what all is on the truck, as well as the things you can; see we have...
Over a hundred bottles of Bug spray
Hand Sanitizer
Baby powder
Palmer's Butter Bottom
LED Flash Lights
Dog & Cat Food
PowerAide
and I am sure there is some other stuff I have forgotten
www.portlight.org
With a little help, StormJunkie.com is pleased to announce the advent of 3d-LIIVIDâ„¢ radar. This product utilizes Level II WSR-88D radar data to produce three dimensional views of storms. Please stop by and check out a 3d-LIIVID isosurface loop from Dolly making landfall. A look through the user manual and the FAQ will give you a better understanding of what 3d-LIIVID is, and how it works. We have also just added several new overlays including a 45dbz isosurface, county lines, and US highways.
The current free six frame loop is from the KBYX Key West radar station.
As always, we really look forward to hearing everyone's feedback as it will help us to continue to improve 3d-LIIVID.
The beginning of the help video index can now be found on StormJunkie.com. Currently there are series on The spaghetti models, the FSU Experimental Forecast page, and the QuickSCAT page. Look for more video series in the near future as well as some other neat additions to the site coming soon.
The intent for StormJunkie.com is to provide access to some of the best tropical and weather tracking information on the web. As hobbyists we truly appreciate the value of the wealth of information available on the internet. We are still in the process of learning how to read and interpret the wealth of maps and data available. That said; part of the learning process is to find the many sites out there, learn to navigate them, and then get a basic understanding of the information provided. Hopefully this site can help speed that process up. In conjunction with wanting fast easy access to these links from any computer, the site was also designed to foster a learning environment. Links and information on models, marine data, wind data, imagery, weather learning, and much more can be found here. Make sure you check out the Wilma videos provided by weatherboyfsu and CyberWolf.
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of the folks that have used the site, helped with the site, or offered suggestions. That said, this site is meant to be useful to all. If there is anything that you feel is missing or could be improved upon, please let me know!
Create your own visitor map!
☺☺☺
This distribution center was just set up in the past two days in Winnie. This is where the majority of the supplies went and the community will be able to access them from there.
A Florida fireman sits behind supplies that Portlight Strategies delivered to the Winnie-Stowell fire station
They look a little hungry. We did see a few rolls of hay up the road, so hopefully food is on the way. Notice all the leaning trees in the background on the left.
After dropping some supplies at the Bridge City Fire Department, we chatted with the fireman for a little while. One brought up Bolivar. I asked if they really wanted to see the pictures. I sat, and brought up "The short but eventful life of Ike" pictures. As I started to show them the pictures I realized that I could not do it. Showing the pictures, for the first time, to the men and women who have years of family vacation memories was just too much and it was not my place. They are going to have to deal with this as a community for a long time to come. It takes a lot to make me cry.
The pictures that follow are what can only be debris from Bolivar. There is nothing else in this area that warrants the amount of debris in the next pictures.
The pictures speak for themselves...This is where the homes and other items that were on Bolivar Peninsula ended up after Hurricane Ike's massive surge.
The pictures speak for themselves...This is where the homes and other items that were on Bolivar Peninsula ended up after Hurricane Ike's massive surge.
The pictures speak for themselves...This is where the homes and other items that were on Bolivar Peninsula ended up after Hurricane Ike's massive surge.
The town of Bridge City was inundated with a massive storm surge even though it was far displaced from Ike's landfall point. This speaks to just how massive Ike was. The people of Bridge City, Winnie, and other small towns in Ike's path will need help for a long time to come. www.portlight.org
The town of Bridge City was inundated with a massive storm surge even though it was far displaced from Ike's landfall point. This speaks to just how massive Ike was. The people of Bridge City, Winnie, and other small towns in Ike's path will need help for a long time to come. www.portlight.org
The town of Bridge City was inundated with a massive storm surge even though it was far displaced from Ike's landfall point. This speaks to just how massive Ike was. The people of Bridge City, Winnie, and other small towns in Ike's path will need help for a long time to come. www.portlight.org
More free donated goods acquired by Portlight.org in cooperation with www.campmor.com and their vendors for the victims of Hurricane Ike. Boxes seen are filled with these and similar supplies.
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Thanks Rays, much better :~)
Just a quick update. We are still busy working with corporate sponsors to secure goods and donations. We have quite a few balls in the air and although not all will pan out; some will. Unfortunately nothing happens rapidly in the corporate world. That said, we are pushing hard to make things happen faster then normal.
Will provide an update in the next day or so. We will also be getting an update from Emmy and Bridge City on the supplies that were shipped on Monday. They should be there by the end of the week.
As soon as we have an idea of what all we have and get stocked at the Atlanta Warehouse we will update on the potential to have some folks come up and help us sort and kit. Great idea for those that suggested it. Thanks!!!
are awaiting FEMA to show
up with their Trailers
So far they've delivered only
14.
Evacuees must decide where to start over
By LLUVIA RUEDA
October, 5, 2008
BEAUMONT - The sight of houses strewn on the roadway and the animal carcasses that surrounded them overwhelmed 23-year-old Belen Sanchez-Ortiz, a Port Bolivar native.
The mother of four and her husband, Alfredo Ortiz, had returned to check on their home after the evacuation order for the Port Bolivar area was lifted on Sept. 26. They found a "disaster zone."
"I am numb. I am still in shock. We were driving to get to our house and we almost ran over a house that was just lying on the road. It was horrible, like something out of a movie. I couldn't recognize anything," Sanchez-Ortiz said.
Their home, a recently remodeled trailer, was gone. All that remained was a cement water tank and bits of scattered debris.
All the sentimental tokens and pictures of their former lives - forgotten during the rush to escape the rising waters - had been washed away by the storm.
"We weren't expecting the hurricane. We thought it was just going to be a little bit of rain and wind, and the weather channels and the news didn't let us know until the last second," Sanchez-Ortiz said.
"We lost everything."
With a few belongings packed hurriedly before the storm, the family decided to drive to Beaumont and stay with some relatives to repair their lives.
The Ortiz family members are among many people displaced after the arrival of Hurricane Ike who now are living in the Beaumont area.
Many evacuees from the Port Bolivar, High Island and Galveston areas are temporary pilgrims who plan to go back to their original cities of residence, and a few - like the Ortizes - are tentatively planning to recreate their lives in a new city.
REST OF THE STORY:
Link
Thanks for the link to articles regarding the aftermath of IKE. My heartfelt prayers go out to everyone who lost loved ones.
D :-(
I know people move on but many of us can't.
Galveston is still hurting as well as the
smaller towns - as SJ and gang have reported.
I know we will rebuild but its still a painful
process and I thank you for taking the time to remember us and read the articles!
Another quick update and interesting development from yesterday.
We contacted a sock manufacturer/distributor and they informed us they would donate somewhere between 6 boxes and 6 pallets of socks. Kudos to them. The interesting part of this story and why they were so willing to help this effort was that during Katrina they donated socks to the Red Cross....The Red Cross returned the socks to them...Geezzz...
Again, not bashing all arms of the RC, but while some arms perform very well it seems others can not tell if they are scratching their head or their ...
Emmy, while it may seem slow right now; we are making some great progress and will have more supplies out their soon. Making the calls and getting the corporate goods donations is the tedious part of the process, but oh so crucial to being effective.
Back to work, talk to y'all later
not at all - the frustration is showing...but I always try to find the hope in the potholes of life
If you need me to make calls to corporations for you just give me the word - trust me, I can handle them and the media in one full swoop LOL
God bless y'all.
DA PACKAGES ARE HERE
how ya like them heavy packages? Don't think I could have crammed anything else in them. Look forward to see pics of you delivering them :~)
The Fed Ex people were so helpful
"whats in these boxes my God they're heavy"
"Food for SJ"
Only joking.
I told them the story and they were blown away.
This truck is out of Houston. They havent been to my area since Ike. They asked of those in Galveston - and surrounding areas.
20 minutes they left - after I told them the WHOLE story....................
they were touched.
I will take this soon -
my little bay newspaper wants to do
a story on portlight - I've emailed Paul.
I want to show them these boxes, etc.
Dont worry I will make sure ALL get in the
paper. Print press is alot more on the ball
with facts................you can SEE what they write.....LMAO
that ain't right -
you're probably working the cause
and again I find myself thanking
you for those who can't but wish
they could and would:
Inside the three huge boxes I received
the other day were essentials that
can be used for everyday -
neosporin
hand wipes
burn kits
etc
thank you again PORTLIGHT
We love you so much.
SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS
OH MAN PAUL - YOU DO WORK
WONDERS
WILL WE HEAR FROM THE GREAT ONE?
LOL
I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude, on behalf of the City of Houston, the Mayor, and our community partners over at TIRR/Memorial Hermann, for all of your involvement in bringing medical supplies and equipment together to help Texans with disabilities affected by Hurricane Ike. I can't tell you how much we all appreciate the fact that you so quickly mobilized and leveraged such a tremendous amount of support to bring these needed items to Houston and other Texas cities.
An email simply doesn't do justice to the generous spirit and initiative that you, Paul Timmons, and your partners took to make this happen, nor to our gratitude. However, I just want you to know that we think about you all in appreciation every single day over here, and there are many who are directly benefiting from your generosity.
By the way, Paul Timmons mentioned that it looks like another shipment of 30-50 wheelchairs can be sent over here. All I can say is wow! Thank you for not forgetting about us, and for realizing that we still have a lot of needs here that we are trying to meet - even 4 weeks after the hurricane.
Again, please accept my sincere thanks. I hope that you have a wonderful
weekend!
Michelle Colvard, MPH
Executive Director
Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
Just got medical supplies yesterday. THANKS SO MUCH! They are already being put to good use.
Just a quick thought from ground zero. I got on the Bolivar Penisula yesterday to take one of the people in our shelter to meet a FEMA inspector. You still need a driver's license with an address down there to get past the roadblocks to get in. We had been asked by some of our county officials to take some MRE's down there since we were going. Come to find out, there are people down there with little to nothing to eat. We delivered a truckload of MRE's to local workers, water and sanitation workers, etc., who live there and are trying to get things going. They are not getting any supplies or hot meals. One of the guys down there told me there are a few hundred people in Crystal Beach who are working and are having to scrounge for supplies to have enough to eat. He said they would take a collection among themselves and someone would drive to Winnie and try to get enough for a couple of days.
These guys are working constantly and are getting worn down quickly. It's been a month and it looks like the storm came through yesterday. I've got pics if anyone wants them. We are trying to figure out some ways to at least get a hot meal to those guys, at least occasionally. Don't know if there is anything you guys can do to help this, but I thought I'd let you know and see what happens.
Thanks again for the supplies.
Scott
Thanks again everyone!
Emmy, we talk soon :~)
Am waiting to get into Tent City in Galveston
They are closing that I believe on the 26th of October and the brilliant one, Lyda Ann,
thinks FEMA will cough up 500 trailers.
They brought up a whoppin 14 to Bridge City.
Mayor asked for 400.
Miss you SJ - :-)
Went to San Leon today
and O! were they ever appreciative
of the goods especially the santizing
handwipes - those were picked up
as soon as I placed them on the tables!
Jim - the logistics man there
is a resident of San Leon and lost
everything - BUT HIS SENSE OF HUMOR.
"I lost everything ~ but I'm a single man
I had no wife to clean up after me -
I just guess Mother Nature did the job"
He went to tell me that in spite of the loss,
his family - what there's left of - is alive
and that means they can rebuild.
Pointing to the piles of debris that
still dress the street for as far as
the eye can see he said,
"What you see here is what is left of
Bolivar - we collected her history.
We can't forget Bolivar".
How can we?
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