Outreach to nonprofits and other mission-based organizations

[Deborah Elizabeth Finn]

I've been doing my best to notify the relevant nonprofit professionals about the Gustav Information Center, mostly through direct emails and posts to online communities that focus on mission-based organizations.

Any other other ideas for outreach? Would anyone like to report on any of their outreach efforts?

Many thanks from Deborah

Deborah Elizabeth Finn
Cyber-Yenta
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
[e-mail]
www.cyber-yenta.org
Skype: Deborah909
Twitter: Deborah909
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah909

[Brad Banner]

I have an alphabetized list of non-profit sites on http://relieforganizations.wordpress.com/ if that will help you any.
http://katrinahelp.info/wiki/index.php/Aid_Agencies#Relief_Services... has sites of local non-profits.

[Lesly Simmons]

Thanks to SocialMedian and a day off I just ran across this site and I'm so glad to see its up. I work in communications for the Red Cross, happy to provide any additional info on our response, etc. As you all probably know we are sheltering evacuees now and until the storm passes, and our services will continue for quite a while I imagine. Visit our site redcross.org or our newsroom hurricanegustav.wordpress.com for all the latest, and send me a note if you need anything else. We're pretty swamped in the office but I will try to respond as quickly as possible. We're also on Twitter @redcross.

[Beth Kanter]

I posted on my blog and over at BlogHer in the nonprofit section. Like you, been sending emails to colleagues. I shared via Facebook, Friendfeed, and Twitter.

[Deborah Elizabeth Finn]

Welcome aboard, Lesly!

Any thoughts on how we can recruit more Red Cross staffers to this network, or at least ensure that they are cross-aware of our efforts?

Many thanks from Deborah

Deborah Elizabeth Finn
Cyber-Yenta
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
[e-mail]
www.cyber-yenta.org
Skype: Deborah909
Twitter: Deborah909
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah909

[Nancy White]

Beth has blogged it - has Tech Soup blogged about it? Also, just the tag NPTech seems to reach a lot of people.

[Deborah Elizabeth Finn]

This is great, Brad!

Do you have email addresses for contacts in these organizations? I think that the next task is to 1) get email contacts, if we don't have them; 2) send them invitations to http://gustav08.ning.com/

Many thanks from Deborah

[Brad Banner]

No, no contacts. During the asian tsunami aftermath, I think someone (not me) used the contact information on the sites to dig out contacts. On the wikipedia site for tsunami relief organizations(that was taken down), we had the contact pages wikified. That wasn't done with Katrina help pages. Contact pages and contact email addresses often change, so storing them for future use can be problematic.

[Ben Amor]

Help us spread the word about the 'On-line Directory' at www.xnetconnect.org, updated daily.
Ben Amor

[Lesly Simmons]

A colleague of mine has been all over here the past few days--Eric Porterfield. We are definitely aware of this group and want to continue coordination as the hurricanes keep coming. Let us know what we can do!

Deborah Elizabeth Finn said:

Welcome aboard, Lesly!

Any thoughts on how we can recruit more Red Cross staffers to this network, or at least ensure that they are cross-aware of our efforts?

Many thanks from Deborah

Deborah Elizabeth Finn
Cyber-Yenta
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
[e-mail]
www.cyber-yenta.org
Skype: Deborah909
Twitter: Deborah909
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah909

[Jason Inman]

NEWS RELEASE
September 2, 2008

Convoy of Hope Sets up PODs in Gustav's Wake
Point of Distribution established in New Iberia, Louisiana


For Immediate Release:
Springfield, Mo. –Hurricane Gustav has left more than one million Gulf Coast residents without power today. Three more storms are coming on its heels — Hurricane Hannah is expected to strike as soon as Friday, followed by Tropical Storms Ike and Josephine.

A Category 2 Hurricane, Gustav made landfall in Cocodrie, La. yesterday. The storm is expected to continue to weaken as it progresses through Louisiana and parts of Texas. Significant flooding is expected throughout the region as all eyes remain on the levees. Gustav also caused flooding in some Florida locations, including Orlando and Sanford. In Louisiana, all parishes remain closed with roads blocked as 1.4 million people remain without power (estimated to be down another two to three weeks), and boil water orders are in effect in two parishes.

"This is shaping up to be an active hurricane season," said President Hal Donaldson. "We're prepared to empty out warehouse if necessary to help people in their time of need. We're counting on the generosity of donors, churches, and corporate partners to come alongside us at this crucial time."

Convoy of Hope has U.S. Disaster Response personnel currently working with state and county officials in the Mississippi Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Today they made their way to the Louisiana EOC in Baton Rouge.

Additional Disaster Response Team members waited out the storm in Jackson, Miss. Monday night. They were in good company, with a large number of Red Cross, FEMA, and other emergency responders doing the same.

They pushed further south today, setting up and distributing aid to victims from a Point of Distribution (POD) in New Iberia, La. (1201 E Admiral Doyle). Fourteen cars followed the Convoy of Hope eighteen-wheeler, forging the flooded entrance to receive much-needed help.

From here the organization will serve the hard-hit areas of Houma, New Iberia, Lafayette, La. and other areas as needed. The organization is receiving many requests for assistance and relief products from hospitals and other entities as it continually monitors affected areas and the potential to set up additional PODs. Eager to serve, volunteer teams are coming from across the country.

As it responds to Hurricane Gustav, Convoy of Hope staff continues to monitor the development of Tropical Storm Hannah, which could escalate and create additional needs. Additional storms – Ike and Josephine – have also formed in the Atlantic.

"Though Gustav's initial damage is not as bad as it could have been, two million people remain displaced, with 1.5 million households without power," said U.S. Disaster Response Director Kary Kingsland.

Further complicating matters, Gustav today introduced tornados, with warnings throughout Mississippi.

Convoy of Hope receives excellent ratings from two nationally recognized charity watchdog groups. Charity Navigator gave it their coveted 4-star rating for sound fiscal management and the Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America awarded it the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence, for meeting the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. Fewer than 5% of charities in America meet or exceed these standards. Historically, less than 10% of donations are used for Convoy of Hope operations.

Corporate and private partnerships allow Convoy of Hope to multiply every donated dollar to about $7 of actual relief product; $6,000 can fill an eighteen-wheeler with relief product, serving upwards of 7,000 people.

Convoy of Hope has been active in the Gulf Coast since Katrina devastated the area in 2005.


# # #

For more information:
Jeff Nene, Media/Communications Director, mobile [phone]
Kristin Kubitschek, Public Relations Director, office 417/823-8998, mobile [phone]

Since 1994, Convoy of Hope™, a nonprofit organization, has provided resources to organizations and churches to meet physical and spiritual needs for the purpose of making the community a better place. This is accomplished through domestic and international outreaches, supply lines, and disaster response.