Katrina hurricane victimes helped by Sally Ann, Rotarians

Salvation Army, Rotarians aid Katrina family
By Peggy Conrad, Staff Writer, gatewaynewspapers.com
Wednesday, January 11, 2006

The mother, her sister and two teenage boys had practically nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived in the area at the end of November.


They had to leave their home in Mississippi following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. They ended up in Braddock, where they didn't know anyone.



After a stay in Debra House, a Bridge to Independence housing program for homeless women and their children, the family was able to move into an apartment, which was completely empty, except for a couch.



But the Salvation Army was close by. The family knocked on the door of the Christian charitable organization seeking help to get through winter.



"We supplied them with some warmer clothing and had them fill out applications to see what their needs were," says Capt. Lillita Davis. "We tried to meet some of those needs."



The apartment had a sectional sofa on which they all slept, but no chairs, beds or other furniture and no lights. The adults seemed kind of lost, says Davis, but "the kids just kind of took it in stride."



The Gulf Coast boys, who came to Pittsburgh wearing only jeans and T-shirts, were very happy, however, to receive some warm clothes.



"I've never seen happier faces than those kids when I came out with a bag of extra clothing," says Davis. "You would have thought I had just given them $1 million."



The Salvation Army also supplied the family with food and blankets, bus passes, vouchers for furniture at its thrift store and toys for Christmas.



"That's what we do, all year round," says Davis. But the organization, which helps so many needy people, could not possibly meet all their needs.



So Davis called on a group she knew she could count on to help -- the Rotary. Tom Nunnally of Forest Hills Rotary just happened to be at her office making arrangements for the club to man one of the Army's Christmas kettles.



"We've all got things we don't need," he told Davis, a member of the Braddock Rotary. "We'd be happy to help."



Nunnally e-mailed his Rotary contacts about the family. Members from clubs in Forest Hills, Braddock, Turtle Creek and New Kensington pitched in, as did several club members' churches.



The Rotarians brought the family all the food and clothing they needed, as well as bedding and furniture, even Christmas presents and a tree. The family now has beds, a vacuum cleaner, pots and pans and all the other household items most people take for granted.



They also provided transportation to pick up furniture from the thrift store and get them other places they needed to go. Nunnally even took the boys to get haircuts, which they hadn't had in several months.



The family was very appreciative, but a little shy about asking for help, he says.



"They came up here in the middle of winter with nothing," says Nun-nally.



"The Rotary jumped in and took the bull by the horns ... At least they're not having to go it on their own."



He is quick to point out, however, that there are "all sorts of people" in the area who need assistance, not just disaster victims.



"When you see them, you should help them."



The Salvation Army also put the family in touch with U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle's office, which has been helpful in the effort to get the family's misdirected FEMA aid straightened out.



The family's situation demonstrates why it's so important to donate to the Salvation Army, says Nunnally.



"They're always the first ones called on, and they always respond."



The family didn't know where to go to enroll the boys in school, so Nunnally took them to the Woodland Hills administration building. The Rotarian says he is "just a small part" of the effort to help the family and he just happens to be the one with the time to do that, as he is retired.



Nunnally also says he hasn't been told "no" by anyone he has asked to help in the effort.



"It's always, 'Can I do more?' It's amazing," says Nunnally. "It just shows you how many good-hearted people we have around here."



Those people have been donating to Rotary-sponsored hurricane relief for months. The funds, which were designated for continued assistance after the initial government response was over, are now being applied directly to victims through local Rotary clubs in the disaster area.



The district governor of Rotary clubs in the affected region attended the November banquet of Rotary District 7300, which encompasses the Greater Pittsburgh area.



The local district has raised about $150,000 for the relief effort. Part of that money has been used to purchase a fire truck, an effort spearheaded by the club in Beaver. The truck soon will be shipped to Mississippi.



In about one and a half months, the local Rotaries also will be sending teams for one week each to the Gulf to aid in restoration efforts. They will be taking supplies and laboring with local Rotarians to restore damaged buildings.



Nunnally is going in March, and he can hardly wait.



"That's going to be kind of neat."


To help out the New Orleans area, buy and download songs from the Hurricane Healing music for charity CD, to benefit the victims of the Katrina hurricane damage affecting Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and region. 50% of all revenue goes to Salvation Army efforts in New Orleans and Caribbean / Central American region:

HurricaneHealing.us