Sept. 4 Field Letter
Sept. 11 Field Letter
Sept. 15 Field Assessment
Sept. 22 Toxic substances warning
Sept. 28 SMHA Rural Recovery Response Outline
Oct. 5 Re-entry kits distributed
Oct. 11 Church bells ring again
Oct. 22 Farm Aid
Jan. 9 Volunteer update
Special Message from SMHA regarding Hurricane Katrina's effects on rural Louisiana
Dear Friends, Supporters, Donors, Funders,Southern Mutual Help Association must call upon all of you to help us.
Louisiana is in the midst of a catastrophe. Not only is New Orleans devastated but so are so many of the surrounding rural communities. Fishers and family farmers already under the stress of international trade agreements, have now lost homes and the very means of creating a livelihood to recover. Many rural small businesses are destroyed. The crops in many areas are gone — cane, citrus, soybeans. The fisheries are destroyed in large areas of Louisiana's coast. This is a crisis for small farmers, farm workers and fisher families.
SMHA knows from our lengthy recovery from hurricane Andrew in August of 1992 that rural areas are last and receive the least. Focus will understandably be on urban areas such as New Orleans, on oil and gas installations, on search, rescue and the basics of life like water, food, shelter, medical treatment.
Many agencies and generous souls will be seeing to those needs.
SMHA is still assessing the situation of directly impacted rural communities and families. We already know the Acadiana region around Lafayette will have approximately 150,000 refugees looking first for where to be for the time away from their homes (likely to be lengthy), and secondly how to possibly recover and rebuild their future.
SMHA as a rural development organization needs your help in the recovery effort.
SMHA needs money. It will take millions for dollars in grants and specially structured loans to help rural families recover.
After Andrew, SMHA learned a great deal. Specially trained volunteers like doctors, nurses, carpenters are helpful especially if they can be responsible for their own expenses, transportation and shelter out of the impacted area. Too many volunteers and clothes are simply a burden. Well-handled money is the most urgently needed response and helps the most. SMHA has, as you know, 36 years of responsibly handling money and achieving mission.
We have created a special Rural Recovery Fund that will support these efforts. Please give generously to this fund. You may use the links below to donate with your credit card, or mail checks made to "SMHA - Rural Recovery Fund" to:
Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.
3602 Old Jeanerette Rd.
New Iberia, LA 70563
Louisiana and the rural poor need you now.
In deepest appreciation for you all,
Lorna Bourg
Executive Director
Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.
SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
T o give amounts greater than $1000, please contact us.You may use your credit card to donate up to $1000 per transaction to the SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $1000 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $500 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $250 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $100 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $50 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $25 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
Click here to donate $10 to SMHA Rural Recovery Fund
You may also donate any amount by direct wire transfer.
Bank: IBERIABANK ABA # 265270413
Account: SMHA Rural Recovery Fund # 107000903.
You may also use your credit card to donate to SMHA's Sister Anne Catherine Bizalion Endowment Fund or generally to its current programs and opreations by clicking here.
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