After many attempts to reach the Red Cross today, Wednesday, by telephone, I eventually got through and had a very educational conversation with one of their representatives as to how IOA could be of help. The answer is as it was with the tsunami, donate to the relief fund.
We dont want to discourage people who want to help, but, making a financial gift to support the relief operations really is the best way for people to help after a disaster like this.
Monetary financial contributions enable the Red Cross to support the greatest needs in the most efficient manner. Cash can be used to purchase items in adjacent, staging areas and eliminate the added costs involved in transporting goods.
I refer you to an excellent article, Donating Goods to the Red Cross for Areas Impacted by Hurricane Katrina where the policy of the Red Cross is clearly indicated. http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_312_4498,00.html"
Today, the Red Cross is operating hundreds of shelters across seven states, providing a safe haven for more than 50,000 +evacuees - many who have been left homeless by Katrina. The first priority is meeting the urgent, critical needs of those people, which include providing emergency shelter, food and water.
I understand that the Red Cross is prepared to deal with all sorts of medical problems that they encounter and this includes providing the necessary ostomy supplies required by those who have had ostomy surgery for their day to day daily living.
I left details in regard to if the International Ostomy Association can be of any assistance, to let me know. If further ostomy supplies are needed, this can be arranged if the Red Cross lets IOA know where to send the shipment.
There was a further hopeful paragraph in the communication that I would like to bring to your attention: Where can donations of collected goods and individual items be most effective? Individual donations of goods and collections of items are put to their best possible use, and have the greatest impact economically, when they are donated to local charitable organizations within the local community. Donating locally eliminates transportation costs and ensures disaster workers are not overwhelmed with sorting unsolicited donations and are free to perform priority relief activities. Because these local agencies are not operating in the crisis environment that characterizes disaster relief, the charity will have the time sort, clean, and repair goods and identify how and where they can be most beneficial.
This tells me that contact has to be made with local chapters that previously belonged to UOA Inc. Those chapters on the outskirts of the disaster can be on watch and preactive in being prepared to help fellow ostomates should the need arise. I will be in touch with UOA Inc and FOW USA in regard to my communication with the Red Cross in case the need should arise to get ostomy supplies to those who have lost everything due to the catastrophic events following the hurricane Katrina.
Please know that all of you in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, are in our prayers. It is with much sorrow that I send this message at a time when such destruction has devastated the lives of so many people in the southern US states. May your God give you the strength to carry on. Please take very good care and stay safe and well.
With much affection.
Di Dielwen Bracken,
President, International Ostomy Association
