As many of you know I'm from New Orleans and had the unfortunate experience of Hurricane Katrina. Louisiana is flooding again and 20k+ people are displaced from their homes. No one saw it coming like you would a hurricane, therefore no one had time to save anything and evacuate. These people from northern La helped us loads when the government wouldn't, and now I feel helpless to lend a hand in relief being so far from home. While watching my friends loading up cars and boats on my facebook, Im sitting here thinking of ways to help. Im attaching a link to the Louisiana Red Cross that I know gets the money where the people need it the most. Please think about donating and then email me for a free video! (Extra incentive! Haha) I've donated all I can spare being on the road, and thought maybe yall could help out a bit too. The water is still rising, so any good vibes and thoughts being sent to my peeps is also appreciated.

https://www.redcross.org/donate/disaster-relief?donationProdId=prod12250028&scode=RSG00000E017&gclid=Cj0KEQjw88q9BRDB5qLcwLXr7_sBEiQAZsGja4cZwRp8ROvtKtsDFFbqBPoW_otazlCvvZwbWJEb5pgaAtKM8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIegr82Exs4CFZC3Gwod78cNCQ

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/16/louisiana-flood-damage-recovery?client=safari

Please take Maria's advice to heart; this is beyond terrible: LSU is flooded out, the National Weather Service has no idea what is going to happen, and Gov. Edwards' office is overtaxed. This flood had a potential of having to happen 0.05% in any given year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/us/louisiana-storm-floods-rescue.html

The people there are the kindest in the world. In all my traveling I've never found any place where you can make life long friends at a bus stop the way you can back home. Haha crazy bayou rats!!! Looking at all my friends organizing like little busy bees together is filling my heart with joy despite it being so terrible. It's def clear though that the state of Louisiana can't handle this disaster. We've been broke down by oil spills and corrupt politicians. Bastards.

Don't forget about the animals who are in need as well: https://www.la-spca.org/news
(sent them a donation after Katrina, looks like it's time to do it again)

edit: Maria is a Mac user! I just fell in love even more.

Noideer..... Steve everyone knows dude. I said that. Lmao!!! Just picking on Ya!

If you are like me and have concerns with the Red Cross (not willing to discuss here), here is a charity that ranks the highest for helping people. They came up on the page about Louisiana.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=7276

I linked Red Cross because they personally helped me and my peeps loads after Katrina. From clothing to all the shots we needed when we got out. But yeah!!!! Donate wherever!!!! Louisiana thanks Ya!

I am not able to donate,why? The link seems to do not work....

I'm not sure Edward. Maybe try Dalamars links?

Here's why we need the help so much! http://slnm.us/vUKkOKE

Happy to say Ive heard back and so far we have sent $275 yay Umd!!!!

This is another option a personal friend of mine is organizing on the ground. I know 100% is going where it needs with her.

Damn it. Fuxkers a friend just told me some more screwed up shit about Red Cross. I was going off of my memory of them giving me clothes and shots I needed after Katrina. You're right. So my friend Ashleigh is good or unitedwaysela.org and of course always anyone saving the pets!

I personally gave some money to Portlight, because Portlight is a charity run by a lot of people from Weather Underground (from which I get most of my weather information) and because they go for a niche not often covered by other charities (wheelchair-bound and similarly disabled people).

The coverage of this disaster, even in the US, has sucked. For a variety of reasons:

* The Olympics
* The protests and riots in Milwaukee
* The fact that this was not a named storm
* The sheer number of storms affecting Texas/Louisiana/Mississippi/Arkansas recently (one guy on Weather Underground counted 18 flood situations in the last 18 months), so people on the outside are getting fatigued
* August (when a lot of news agencies are letting their folks have time off)

So, MPR: I hope your loved ones are accounted for and are in a position to get back to their home. The Gulf Coast has not had a great time over the last few years; I really really hope the folks down there find more stability.

A letter my friend Suzanne shared to give everyone a better idea of what's actually happening....


Dear CNN,

You're about as useful as a three-dollar bill.

Five days ago, hell broke loose in Louisiana. Today, I was able to see my mom and dad for the first time since water engulfed 20+ parishes, flooding at least 40,000 homes and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee for their lives. 56 people are dead (8/18/16 1:14am).

I've lost count of the number of neighbors, friends, classmates, colleagues, and loved ones who no longer have a home. The house I grew up in is unrecognizable. My parents almost died. My life for the last week has only reminded me of my life eleven years ago when Hurricane Katrina devoured my city.

You remember Katrina, right? You and she seemed to be best friends back in the day. You were always talking about her. You had full coverage of her.

I checked your app after getting home from five days in hell. I thought for sure your hungry little heart would pounce on my soggy story. I hoped you would. Something devastating is occurring in your own back yard. I had to scroll past three links, one advertisement, and four more links to land on your eighth link, titled Herd of Cattle Rescued from Louisiana Flood (photo below).

Talk about missing the story.

Since we're still in the process of securing our lives and homes and basic necessities and medical care and sanity, I'll be direct.

1. If I have to explain to you why your lack of attention to this flood is humiliating, dangerous, and indicative of your woefully inadequate understanding of your duty as a journalist and defender of your nation, then I need you to go back to journalism school.

2. You're missing a profound story. You're missing the opportunity to understand what is happening and why, and how (and number of ways) it directly impacts that thing you're so obsessed aboutthe 2016 election. You literally have no clue what you are doing. You don't grasp your power or comprehend your potential. You could be important, but you're not.

3. Facebook is kicking your butt. The Cajun Navy has been using Facebook to locate people stranded in or on the roofs of their houses, and confirm those people have made it to safety. They've routed people to shelters and coordinated supplies, volunteers, and medical assistance. They've been doing it while their own homes are under water. What they have created through Facebook and with their hearts and minds is one of the most important parts of this tragedy, and the nation needs to learn what The Cajun Navy is doing and how they can replicate their system during other disasters. Facebook is more useful than you are. Let that sink in.

4. Did I mention that Atmosphere Aerial has flown drones over the flooded regions to allow us to see our homes and record the evidence we need to file FEMA and insurance paperwork? They have more comprehensive coverage of this disaster than any resource out there. You should probably check out that resource. I know how you love to look at poor drowned folk.

Right now, the citizens of Louisiana are a living example of how to work together to survive through tenacity, ingenuity, and unbridled love. For five days straight, we have been displaying acts of heroism and compassion that you only see in movies. And, we'll keep at it until as many people as possible are safe.

Hope that deadline about how many people it takes to fill empty seats in the Olympic stadiums was worth it (fifth link).

Stay dry,
Suzanne Raether
Louisiana

PSWhen my dad rode around for hours in the back of a National Guard rescue vehicle, he watched men on jet skis herd cattle. You didn't even get the good cattle story.

Suzanne has written the best criticism of CNN I've ever read. Jeff Zucker was fired by NBC for a lot of reasons, but damn if Time-Warner hired him to put together Fox News light.

When I'm in the Loop for one of the places I work for (a lobbying organization that puts on boat shows), they like to have CNN on for any boating stories they may carry, especially those they pitched. Fair enough.
I've been known to walk by the cubical with the TV saying things like "if Ted Turner were dead, he'd be spinning in his grave."

Maria and Suzanne have also made points about mental trauma after Katrin and this storm. Pete Fountain died about 2 weeks ago and the Times obit pointed out that he lost nearly everything and became very depressed, complaining of illnesses that no one could diagnose.

Sorry for the sermon.

Yeah Boxster. Im feeling quite a bit of "survivor guilt" right now. Im thinking I may just pack up and head home to help gut houses for friends. Katrina memories are a evil bitch.

Ditto that, Jason

I've sent a donation to United Way. It's not much but I hope it helps!

It's bizarre that this isn't more widely reported. It sounds awful.

Cake battered: it is pretty sad when the best coverage of the story is from the New York Times and the US online edition of the Guardian, hardly news sources for the Entertainment Weekly crowd.

For us Americans and Canadians: Entertainment Weekly is People magazine for those whose who move their lips when they read.

I lived in Baton Rouge for a few years (grad school at LSU) in the early 1980s, and I can tell you that it doesn't take much for the area to flood. My contacts in and around that area say the waters are receding rapidly, and most of the damage is around Denham Springs (one of my ex's lived there years ago but had since moved). Sadly, most of the folks didn't get flood insurance (the same happens in the Houston area - we think we'll be the lucky ones), and FEMA apparently is topping non-insured payments at $33,000. As happened post-Katrina, I suspect a number of folks will finally say au revoir to Louisiana and head over to southeast Texas, where jobs are still available and housing hasn't (as of yet) gone through the roof.

I'm bumping this thread, because what Maria is doing is awesome. She's been staying in my house for the past two weeks and she's genuinely worried for the folk over there, who are in what sounds like a completely devastating situation

Keep donating!

Jelly, do everything to bump this thread up, as am I.

Bump:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/18/us/louisiana-flooding.html

Bump.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/23/us/baton-rouge-flooding-lessons-katrina.html?_r=0

There are numerous grants out there for animal shelters to get money for these type of events, even for people and the disaster relief, I can send some to you in PM. The bad thing is, around sept. 3rd, many models are showing a hurricane to a near-Katrina landfall :O so I am watching that closely as well.

Thanks for the insight, Jedo.

Jedo, is this what you mean? Yipes. So when Chicago gets cooler....

Should have signed this as "frustrated Cessna pilot."

I've made a donation via Convoy of Hope

I couldn't get the red cross one to work from the UK but the Convoy of Hope one worked fine

Thanks Rev!!!!!

https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/atlantic/2016/Invest-99L?map=ensmodel&MR=1

May not make NO