News-Hurricane Katrina Aftermath: A Personal Account

Alice's Story of the Hurricane Aftermath

News from a phone call 10-25-05
On her way down to Mississippi, Alice rode with a a group of womyn called The Godmothers. They had a truck bearing donations from Michigan. As they approached the Gulf Coast, she said they saw few road signs and the trees are all gone. They reached Highway 10 and turned east, arriving at Waveland, Mississippi. She set up camp and joined with others from the Rainbow Family to help cook for people who have lost everything.

Folks have food. Supplies have come from various places, a town in Texas sent full trucks with supplies. Supplies came from Michigan and Wisconsin. People have come from across the country to help. FEMA has supplied tents to most everyone by now, but trailers require applications and proof of living in the county, red tape and a lot of waiting. One woman, who lived on a bluff, has an intact house. Everyone else who comes back finds their homes gone or uninhabitable.

Alice worked in the daycare area today. She gave a little girl a paper and crayons and asked her to draw her favorite place ever. The little girl drew a picture of her tent school, blue roofed tents and blacked roofed tents. Her favorite place was the computer tent. When her parents arrived to pick her up they remembered other places with her where they had traveled together, before. They remembered trips to beautiful National Parks and a water park where they had gone, before. Her picture was of the tent school.

10-31-05-An e-mail from Alice

Well friends here I am again on a new adventure. I figure since I have email access I should send an update. The number one thing I want to say is that everything is NOT FINE HERE. I am in Waveland Mississippi, about 45 minutes east of New Orleans. Everything was devastated. Most houses are gone, and the ones that are standing were still destroyed by flood waters. The water reached 6 to 15 feet in this area. So now myself and many other rainbow brothers and sisters (View story from MS-NBC) are cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner every day at the Waveland Cafe. We serve 800 to 1000 meals a day and sometimes we cook additional food and send it out to other groups.

Typical meal served and the alternative

Just to give you an idea about what I am doing here is a typical day. Wake up around 8 and serve breakfast (I recently found out how to set the alarm on my mom's cell phone so I will probably start waking up at 6 to cook sometimes). Then I eat breakfast myself. I probably eat better here than at home. Then I either help cook lunch (prep starts immediately after breakfast) or do the breakfast dishes. Next I help serve lunch, then eat lunch. Next I either help with dinner or work in the Kids Space which is like a day care. Then help serve dinner and eat again. After dinner is always dishes, and I am usually done by 9. (yes that is 8 AM to 9 PM) I occasionally try to take a 20 minute break to do yoga or email you all. As you can see these breaks are few so I am sorry if I don't send many messages.

My favorite times are serving times because that is when I get to see all of the people we are here to help. Many offer thanks and that just touches my heart. It is inspiring to me and seeing everyone we help is the best motivation I have ever had.

As far as accommodations I am sleeping in a tent and we have three computers with Internet and cold showers. My number one goal is to find a washer before I have to wash everything by hand. I doubt it will happen. The only things I am cautious about are overworking myself, getting enough sleep, and keeping my hands dry. I have to wear gloves for cooking, serving and dishes so it keeps my hands wet most of the day. Not good for healing cuts. I find that I am always looking for something to do, and feel a little guilty if I am not helping.

There are so many wonderful hard working people here, and I have made some new friends. I love what I am doing and hope you all have something equally rewarding in your life.

Peace and love from Mississippi

-Alice

An email from Alice-mid November
Hello everyone,

Well I am still helping at the Cafe. I don't quite remember what I said before, so sorry if I repeat. First off I arrived at the crash and burn stage. I was working twelve hour days for two weeks straight and I realized I was starting to get really bitchy. Luckily I have been making friends and I was able to get away and watch a movie the other night. That was all I needed to get my all day smile back. Now I am trying to keep it down to nine hour days and take breaks when I need them.

The greatest news came the other day. We now have hot showers!!!! Yea!

I am taking some new roles in the kitchen. I found that I am not wanting to focalize any meals, but I like to help. I have made salad and cheese sauce on my own, but I usually help others with their meals. I have been focalizing the serving line. I write out the menu board, get the food and serving utensils out, find people to serve, get back up food, clean up and count how many meals we serve (the count is broken down by resident, volunteer and worker) This count is pretty important and I also report it to the county. I feel that I have found my niche.

We have the greatest food. Here is the menu for breakfast:french toast, grits, sausage, fruit salad, coffee cake and eggs. Lunch was fried chicken, french fries, elk stew, vegetable barley soup, broccoli, cheese sauce, salad and bread. A lot of what we use is organic too.

We had a sister circle last night and it was magical. We have been having some intense circles and a lot of issues have come up. One volunteer was asked to leave two days ago. It was nice to connect with my sisters and share some love and heartsongs without the drama. I also learned (or started to learn) contact dance. As you can see it is not all work.

Well that is all I can think of now. I love you all and I will see you soon.

-Alice

11-29-05
We had a phone call from Alice. They are moving their kitchen to New Orleans and have a break in work in between kitchens. The group obtained three condos where everyone is staying, the food condo, the party condo and the naked condo. Guess which one Alice is in.

12-11-05
Quick phone call from Alice. The Rainbow Cafe is opening for service in St. Bernard's Parish east of New Orleans today. The volunteers that run the kitchen (including Alice) are very busy today setting up the kitchen and serving area. Vacation is over, Alice is back in her tent.

12-15-05
Another phone call from Alice. The Rainbow Cafe was assembled and ready for business when something happened and the geo-dome where the kitchen was prepared collapsed. The work starts over again. Alice was supposed to come home today or tomorrow with Eric. She is unsure of her plans, due to the setback. We hope she will come home for a bit anyway, we will see what she decides.

1-1-06

Emergency Communities' relief kitchen, is now set up in the city of Chalmette in St. Bernard’s Parish (next to New Orleans). They plan on serving 252,000 meals over the next twelve weeks. With the kitchen their
central focus, they intend to provide a safe space for local residents to connect and rebuild their community.

The kitchen serves three hot, wholesome, often organic, meals a day, including vegetarian options. All food, bottled water, and beverages are available for residents, workers in the area and volunteers.

The kitchen is set up under large tents in a parking
lot, and their camping area is set up adjacent to the lot. Temperatures range between 30 and 80
degrees, and they have strong rainfall.

St. Bernard’s Parish is an urban environment with a
pre-hurricane population of 70,000. The entire area was devastated by Katrina and the associated tidal surge. There are currently NO banks, grocery stores, restaurants, or stores open in the immediate area, and 100 percent of the homes are unlivable. Residents are only now beginning to return to their homes (FEMA trailers), and clean up operations are still in the early stages.

There will be a FREE medical facility a few blocks
away. In addition, the site will provide a C.A.L.M. tent (Center for Alternative Living Medicine) with
massage therapy, herbal tinctures, homeopathic medicine and teas for the support of the volunteers.

Emergency Communities has a 24-hour security team set up on the premises which can be called on as needed. There is a Parish curfew from dusk to dawn, and they work closely with local law enforcement to
ensure safety.

There is there is an infinite need for volunteers here. If you can come, YOU ARE NEEDED!!!

The meals below are examples of those prepared by Emergency Communities and what is available through the traditional sources.

There is also infinite need for donations. Click here to find out how to donate.

Just before Alice left, the newly assembled dome was damaged by a storm. The work had to start over in preparing the kitchen area.

1-11-06 Phone call from Alice

The dome is up. They have a library, kid's space and their distribution area is going nuts. The kitchen is now serving over 1,200 meals per day. Dianne is going down for a short volunteer visit on 1-19-06.

Email from Emergency Communities 3-10-06

In December, when we opened, we served 300 people each day. We are now serving over 1,600 meals daily, and climbing.

FEMA has ended almost all subsidized housing in this devastated parish, leaving thousands with no place to live and few places to eat. The entire area surrounding our kitchen and community center looks nearly the same as it did in September - destroyed. The Emergency Communities' Made with Love Cafe and Grill is now the largest relief kitchen in the Greater New Orleans area, and much bigger relief organizations are now turning to us to help feed their volunteer forces. Our own volunteer force has swelled
to over 125 volunteers.

Basically, the Katrina relief effort is just beginning.

In good news, the United Way has provided EC with its first major grant - over $140,000. They have also asked us to start a second kitchen/community center in Southern Louisiana, where they are only now allowing residents to return. We've also begun scouting locations for another kitchen in the Greater New Orleans region. We are currently building a laundromat as well - a desperate need in this area. As we expand, it's critical that all of our past volunteers, donors, and
supporters help us with this cause. Despite what the media says, or doesn't say, help is needed now more than ever.

So come! Or if you can't, consider donating at
www.emergencycommunities.org. Or send us cookies! Or volunteer with us. Tell your friends and family. Everything helps.

With love,

Mark Weiner & all of us at the Made with Love Cafe and Grill

3-14-06
Alice just got appointed to the Board of Operations at Emergency Communities. We are very proud of her.

I am posting a few new pictures that I took on my visit to St. Bernards Parish in January. This was a very enlightning visit. Quick, but I got to see the area and meet some of the residence who have weathered the hurricane and to hear their stories. I am heartened by the human spirit. -Dianne

6-1-06 Emergency Communities disembled the kitchen because electricity has been restored to the area and local businesses are once again open (ten months after the hurricane hit). They have moved to an area that still needs help. Please continue your support for this fine organization.