Finally, after days of inaction, troops have been arriving at effected areas to evacuate survivors, transport patients and help begin to repair the city. However, survivors still need help and assistance through donations. Please take the time to take some pocket change and donate to help those in need.
We recommend donating to the Red Cross but you may choose to donate to whoever you feel you can trust.
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The following text is from Thursday, as tensions were high and relief was not in sight.
Listen to these words from Mayor Nagin of New Orleans.
He is BEGGING for resources, BEGGING for help -- it has been FOUR DAYS and they have not seen ship nor bus nor troop which has been promised to them. Hundreds of people are dying everyday. The streets reek of shit. Decaying corpses and crying babies are sharing the same patches of grass alike. Armed gangs of crazed hungry animals are setting fire to the remainder of the city, raping its women and killing its children.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD: CALL OUR POLITICIANS, FLOOD THEIR INBOXES, DEMAND THEM TO BRING THE AID THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISING TO NEW ORLEANS.
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The following text was written on Wednesday, before the chaos started rising nearly as fast as the waters had, furthering the devastation and misery for tens of thousands of poor people waiting for help but getting NOTHING...
Being dubbed the worst natural disaster in US history, New Orleans and areas of the Mississippi Gulfcoast are left completely devastated to the point of total evacuation and martial law. When Hurricane Katrina hit on Monday morning, there was quite a bit of damage from the winds and flying debris in all of these areas. My best friend who braved the storm in uptown New Orleans watched in tears as A/C window units were ripped from homes and hurled straight upwards by the winds.
Most windows shattered altogether, allowing the curtains to flap like white flags held to the windows. It looks like a complete war zone. The waters are toxic with sewage and gas leaks and Tuesday morning the levee systems began to collapse under pressure, pouring all of the water that had been collected back into the city. After a day of attempts, the city has simply given up attempting to patch the flow and is letting nature take it's course. The pumps are entirely submerged in water and have all completely stopped working. The water is 12-15 feet over the ENTIRE east bank of New Orleans and, at the time of this writing on Wednesday, it is STILL RISING.
Everyone in New Orleans has been told that they MUST leave and they are not allowing anyone to return for ONE MONTH. At this point, most people are maxing out their credit cards staying at hotels and running out of money for food. And when they do return in a month or so, if they are not homeless they will have no belongings...
It will take months if not years to rebuild both the physical structures and the economy of what once was one of the most unique cities in the United States. Some say there's no way it will ever again be the same.
People need food and shelter. 80% of the city of New Orleans needs to be reconstructed. Until the federal aid starts to come in (an estimated $26 billion dollars...), the relief and rescue efforts are primarily being funded by the American Red Cross.
For the latest news, updates and images, go to the website of WWL TV - New Orleans Local News.
You can donate as little as $5 to help out...
Donate to the American Red Cross. 1-800-HELP-NOW
Other links of interest to those who want to help:
- Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY
- Federal Emergency Management Agency: 1-800-621-FEMA
- AmeriCares
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Thank you for all of your support.
Sincerely,
Daniel McKernan
August 31, 2005
PS. If you were thinking of going to New Orleans for Jandek, Southern Decadence, or either of my art exhibits, they're all cancelled, as is everything for the foreseeable future.
Most windows shattered altogether, allowing the curtains to flap like white flags held to the windows. It looks like a complete war zone. The waters are toxic with sewage and gas leaks and Tuesday morning the levee systems began to collapse under pressure, pouring all of the water that had been collected back into the city. After a day of attempts, the city has simply given up attempting to patch the flow and is letting nature take it's course. The pumps are entirely submerged in water and have all completely stopped working. The water is 12-15 feet over the ENTIRE east bank of New Orleans and, at the time of this writing on Wednesday, it is STILL RISING.
Everyone in New Orleans has been told that they MUST leave and they are not allowing anyone to return for ONE MONTH. At this point, most people are maxing out their credit cards staying at hotels and running out of money for food. And when they do return in a month or so, if they are not homeless they will have no belongings...
It will take months if not years to rebuild both the physical structures and the economy of what once was one of the most unique cities in the United States. Some say there's no way it will ever again be the same.
People need food and shelter. 80% of the city of New Orleans needs to be reconstructed. Until the federal aid starts to come in (an estimated $26 billion dollars...), the relief and rescue efforts are primarily being funded by the American Red Cross.
For the latest news, updates and images, go to the website of WWL TV - New Orleans Local News.
You can donate as little as $5 to help out...
Donate to the American Red Cross. 1-800-HELP-NOW
Other links of interest to those who want to help:
- Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY
- Federal Emergency Management Agency: 1-800-621-FEMA
- AmeriCares
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Thank you for all of your support.
Sincerely,
Daniel McKernan
August 31, 2005
PS. If you were thinking of going to New Orleans for Jandek, Southern Decadence, or either of my art exhibits, they're all cancelled, as is everything for the foreseeable future.
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