Dear Friends of Disability Rights,
The Centers for Independent Living in Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans
were severely impacted by the hurricane. In fact the Biloxi, MS center was
totally destroyed. Many of you are asking how you can help. Here is what
we
have learned from colleagues in those states.
Sending money is the first priority. Sending supplies to those centers is
helpful too but NOT RIGHT NOW, because they can't get through the water.
Here are the suggested options for right now:
1) Send a check or credit card payment to the Red Cross (
http://www.redcross.org/ , 800-334-7626 ) and designate it for Hurricane
Relief, or designate it for people with disabilities in the
Biloxi/Hattiesburg or New Orleans areas.
2) If you want to send money for the CILs that are dealing with this
disaster directly, here are your options:
For the Biloxi Center, mail the check (payable to LIFE of Central MS and
designated for the Biloxi Center) to:
LIFE of Central Mississippi
754 North President Street, Suite 1
Jackson, MS 39202
For the centers in Louisiana (make checks payable to Resources for
Independent Living - this is a branch of the N.O. center - and designate
for the New Orleans center) and mail to:
Resources for IL
11931 Industriplex Blvd. Suite 200
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
We have also learned from Mack Marsh of the Shreveport Center that centers
in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles are assisting evacuees. Mack
says they would also appreciate supplies if there is any way to get those
supplies to the centers. His list includes: manual wheelchairs, hospital
beds, adult diapers, bed pads, catheters and other supplies. The address
for the Baton Rouge center is shown above, addresses for the Shreveport
and
Lake Charles centers follow.
Southwest LA Independence Center, Inc.
Mitch Granger
1202 Kirkman, Suite C
Lake Charles, LA 70601
New Horizons, Inc.
Jerry Kidwell
9300 Mansfield Road, Suite 204
Shreveport, LA 71118
For a list of all the Centers in AL, LA & MS, go
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html
We will keep you informed of any additional ways that you can help. Feel
free to forward this information to other people interested in the needs
of
people with disabilities affected by this disaster.
Dawn Heinsohn
IL NET: ILRU/NCIL National Training and Technical Assistance Project
ILRU Program
2323 S. Shepherd, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
713.520.0232 ext. 130 (v)
713.520.5136 (TTY) 713.520.5785 (fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Worldwide Web Site: http://www.ilru.org
ILRU is a program of TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research),
a nationally recognized medical rehabilitation facility for persons with
disabilities in Houston. http://www.tirr.org/
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