Dateline: New Orleans 2-01-07

Hi Gang!

What a week!!! Yes. I unleashed Katrina Corps Director Pam Murtaugh on the unsuspecting New Orleanians and she was fabulous. Marte, our new volunteer administrative honcho, dropped in and started the whole super energy karma all over and David, our newest on-the-ground volunteer…. David was breathing the same air as Spike Lee… 6 hours after touching ground. WoW!!!
Pam was on the radio, the mother-in-law lounge, local NPR and the AP story made it all very confirming that we are here for the long haul.
Rose Nicaud’s owners, Ken and Melva, are happy to have us using the corner of the restraurant as home base.
May be getting closer to getting umbrella insurance.
GNODRP task force used every last one of our ideas, confirming that we are changing things.
Outreach: Objective
ACORN is solid with the warehouse, gated parking for tools and trucks, food through Bywater outreach, Training leaders, exclusive access to their list. To Keith (another of our KC Directors): Go get ‘em!!St. Martin Brown and Assoc.- Deron is working with city of NO trying to get office space, warehouse, housing, future jobs, and other pro-Katrina Corps efforts cemented.. He has been busy. Our media and outreach blitz is working. Awesome. I met with Barbara Maxwell and Mike Handley with Keep Hope. Barb is a property owner in the area. Mike has a small gutting and rebuilding crew to start the work. Barb will allow us to gut and paint and fix up her nursing home and use it as a base camp, much like Cape Hope. The one story building can easily house over a 120 students with common area and storage space in the rear. It has a 1/2 acre lot next to that could easily hold two small circus tents. Barb has more property that she is interested in donating. A local charity group will use the building as a laundry mat in the future and distribution center. The Big Levee Party is still an option, but will require closing off streets. In Addition, Lara Smith is a rep for a group of real estate agents who are considering offering homes for students..

Boys and Girls Town–Dr. Dennis Dillion was very interested in helping. He needs foster parents, child psychologists, counselors and social services help. As I sat in his office, “60 Minutes” called and I got a real dose of how bad it is for the kids in NO. 1,000 turned away from schools, no child services etc… While talking to Dr. Adrian Wilson, head of social services NO, we walked and I gave him the Katrina elevator tag. He committed that we are definitely being talked about in circles. He wants to help. Dr. Dillion referred Judge David Bell and Richard Winder, Head of Human services NO.

Mryna-Retired Nurse–Friend of the Family referred Arthine V. Powers pastor of hugh church that have freed space from firefighters (went back to firehouse).

St. Peter and Paul (decommissioned church), was used for housing PACE and Nuns… needs work, but usable.

Kevin Coleman head of Black Catholic orgnization.

Rochere assistant to the Governor.

A list of closed Catholic schools in NO and maybe a place for me to stay while in NO…

For Katrina survivor story..Sheila Webb.

Relief Spark helps support other organizations. Like us, RS has desire to do the impossible. Maybe able to help with insurance.

With regard to the $$, we’ve been advised we will could be killed only charging $75 for registration–Might be better to ask a $150 program fee. I disagree. We’re getting closer to landing some sponsors and we definitely want to keep the total cost to our student volunteers to something most of them can manage. Impossible is Nothing!

Right now it could be 2.1 million dollars for a first responders tent city that can be ready and functional in 5 days for 10 week period. Might be able to get companies to use product placement dollars to fund 90% of this, but would need our man power to do the campaign. Option 2. Get at least 50 rooms at $99 per night at the W. Option 3. Contact existing list of landlords willing to rent space for $50 per person, per week. Option 4. Talk to Algiers for land use for tent city.

Continuing contact with other Groups: Lean On Me, Relief NOw, RHINO, Mercy Corps (for training safety-it’s free) and The Green Project. There’s a backlog of students wanting to come for SB07. I

Southern New Orleans University–Dr. George Amedee and Cynthia. Wow!! Murtaugh’s brother. He is all in to help. He can use a lot of our expertise and helping some of the small black churches and the university to get in gear for recovery. Pam please elaborate. Highly possible housing, volunteers and awesome location…referred Kenya Smith assist to mayor, Mandina city hall worker, Marcia Peterson Desire street organization, Ken Burkhalter head person in St. Tammay Parish, and possible Wesley broad Stadium for possible base camp for SB07.

Karen Fernandez-City Planner NO. Loves the idea and willing to help.

Hila and Jonathon with FEMA will check on Job Corp center for possible occupancy and tents.

City of NO, Dep. Chief Dev.–Anthony Faciane heard about us which was obvious because he was in the GNODRP meeting telling us that he doesn’t want any students turned away. NOBODY TURNED AWAY!!!! This is after the task force told him 311 is the central dial-in number for gutting now, they were going to use maps to show progress and about 4 other things Katrina Corps birthed. He is passing a city ordinance to make it easier to gut the homes. He has procured 12 Million dollars to help. He’s going to be my best friend for about 4 weeks…and for life.

We need a conference call… Sunday 11am central time? or after Keith lands in NO..

:current events

The best African restaurant Benechen and Who Dat!!

Talk later

Ray Thomas,

Field Director, Katrina Corps
Ray@KatrinaCorps.org

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