PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: September 3, 2005 Contact: Wendy Fournier, NAA (RI) 401-632-7523 Peg Pickering, (MS) 622-488-9619
Mississippi Emergency Shelter Available For Hurricane Victims with Autism, Developmental Disabilities The National Autism Association (NAA) Requests Help from Local Authorities Toccopola, MS - Peg Pickering, the mother of an autistic child, has offered to provide emergency housing for families of children with autism and other developmental disorders at Camp Yocona in Toccopola, MS. The camp can accommodate up to 350 people in cabins that can sleep up to 8 people each. Each group of 4-5 cabins has a bathhouse. A large commercial kitchen and dining hall is available and a volunteer will be staffing the kitchen to prepare meals including gluten and casein free options for children on restricted diets. "The camp will provide a healing environment for parents and children alike, offering a place of solace and shelter while the families regroup and decide where to go from here," commented Pickering who is coordinating this effort. Volunteers are needed at evacuation sites to help identify children with autism and their families and let them know that assistance is available. According to NAA Executive Director Jo Pike, "Children with autism have very special needs. A simple disruption in routine can be devastating to them. We are calling on local authorities and relief organizations to help us locate these families as quickly as possible." Anyone with information on families of children with developmental disabilities needing shelter as a result of the hurricane and its aftermath are asked to contact the National Autism Association toll free at 866-622-6733, or Peg Pickering at 662-488-9619. Tax-deductible donations to assist with this effort can be made online at http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/proddetail.php?prod=Katrina Checks can be mailed to: First United Methodist Church of Pontotoc Good Samaritan Autism Fund P.O. Box 308 Pontotoc, MS 38863 In addition to monetary donations, the camp is in need of twin-size bed linens, towels, washcloths, toiletries, toothbrushes and toothpaste, diapers, wipes, etc. Donations of these items can be shipped to: ASD KATRINA RESCUE C/O Peg Pickering 2901 Highway 9 South Pontotoc, MS 38863 -- Rachel [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Life without art & music? Keep the arts alive today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/FXrMlA/dnQLAA/Zx0JAA/wnIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Have you told a friend today? http://bookcrossing.com/tellafriend Archives and email list settings: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
