FACING SOUTH September 9, 2005 - Issue #114 Facing South is published by the Institute for Southern Studies and Southern Exposure magazine. For more information visit www.southernstudies.org _____ HOW YOU CAN HELP - Supporting Local Groups in the Gulf
Here at the Institute, we've received many emails and calls from people wanting to know what groups are doing good work at the grassroots level to support those affected by Hurricane Katrina. We asked some of our friends and allies for suggestions, and they gave us some great ideas. Here are some resources for contributing to community/labor/progressive groups that have close ties to the region and are making a real difference. We'll expand on the list in future issues. Please be as generous as you can -- they need all the help they can get! Local Organizations/Funds Baton Rouge Area Foundation http://www.braf.org/ Louisiana Environmental Action Network http://www.leanweb.org Moore Community House (Biloxi, MS) c/o Children's Defense Fund P. O. Box 11437 Jackson, MS 39236-1437 People's Hurricane Fund/Community Labor United (Louisiana/Mississippi) http://www.qecr.org./index.html Lists of Other Local/Community-Based Groups National Organizers Alliance http://www.noacentral.org Southern Empowerment Project http://www.southernempowerment.org/ Sparkplug Foundation http://www.sparkplugfoundation.org/katrinarelief.html Investigative Reporting Fund As reports grow of a media blackout in New Orleans and other areas affected by Katrina, the Institute/Southern Exposure will be sponsoring investigative reporters in Louisiana and Mississippi that can bring to light the stories of those affected by Katrina, and the political and economic decisions being made in the wake of the disaster. If you'd like to support the ISS/SE Investigative Action Fund to sponsor these in-depth reports, please visit www.southernstudies.org or use the form below. _____ INSTITUTE INDEX - A Tale of Two Hurricane Seasons Amount of aid President Bush immediately requested after hurricanes hit Florida in September 2004: $12 billion Number of hours after Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida that Bush authorized federal assistance: 1 Date in September that a FEMA consultant wrote a memo suggesting steps to ensure the Florida hurricanes not become a "liability" for the president's re-election: 2 Days after the memo that FEMA announced the pre-storm deployment of "a powerful list of disaster response personnel, equipment and supplies" in Florida for Hurricane Frances, including 100 truckloads of ice and water: 2 Amount of Florida hurricane aid that government investigators later concluded was "questionable," including housing disbursements to families that had not asked for it: $31 million Number of hours after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast that FEMA authorized dispatching employees to the region: 5 Number of days they were allowed to take before arriving there: 2 Number of days after Hurricane Katrina struck that administration was "still assessing" amount of aid to request: 4 Amount that the administration requested for Hurricane Katrina, the worst in history, after four days: $10 billion -------------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure.
