Gustav

Hi Folks, this just in from my dear friend Tracy, I'm sure that all of us feel for what the people in the eye of the storm are going through right now....

Friends,

Most of you know that I am a native of Louisiana and a survivor of many hurricanes (including Katrina and Rita). This combined with all the Earthquakes we have suffered has driven home the importance of timely aid and relief in the aftermath of a catastrophic event. It is extremely hard for me to be limited to watching the potential devastation of Gustav from so far away as our family and friends hunker down to ride out the storm, or are in process of evacuating leaving behind their worldly comforts. We pray that they will not need our support, but in the event that the do, I appeal to you all to join me in a campaign to support them in their time of need.

The Hurricane Gustav Relief and Recovery Fund will benefit all individuals impacted and/or displaced by Hurricane Gustav, as these individuals will face numerous challenges related to housing, food, education, healthcare, and other basic necessities. This fund will support organizations and programs that endeavor to meet the critical needs of these residents, assist communities impacted by a sudden influx of displaced individuals, and assist in the planning and rebuilding of infrastructure to provide basic human services to residents as they return to impacted areas. The Foundation will work with leadership from both governmental and private entities to provide resources to programs and projects that benefit impacted communities in their recovery processes.

Earlier today, I communicated with John Davies and Kevin Lyle of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation who are leading the relief efforts and here is what they had to say:

“We learned a great deal in the wake of Katrina and Rita, and we believe our Disaster Recovery plan is even better equipped to respond quickly to the impact of what appears to be a catastrophic event. We have been working today to update our website and activate a donation portal for a relief and recovery fund established by the Foundation. We have just begun to distribute this information to the media, and I wanted to pass it along to you as well. Our website for Gustav related information is www.GustavLouisiana.org, and the donation portal is now up and running.”

Even the smallest donations are appreciated. Remember that many organizations match charitable contributions allowing their employees to double their impact, be sure to check into whether one exist or initiate establishing one. Donations to the Hurricane Gustav Relief and Recovery Fund can be made using any of the following options:

1. Online : Secure Online Donations to the Hurricane Gustav Relief and Recovery Fund can be made using all major Credit Cards, your PayPal account, or an Electronic Check. www.GustavLouisiana.org

2. By Check : Donations by check to the Hurricane Gustav Relief and Recovery Fund should be made Payable to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, and can be mailed or delivered to the Foundation’s physical address:

Baton Rouge Area Foundation
402 North Fourth Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
Federal ID# 72-6030391

3. By Phone : Please note that the offices are currently closed until after the storm has passed, at which time they will be able to accept contributions by phone.

(225)387-6126
(225)387-6153

Please forward this information to your network within your respective organizations as well as socialize the www.GustavLouisiana.org donation portal with your business partnerships, local support organizations who may want to get involved, friends and any media contacts you may have within your reach. Thank you in advance for your generous support!

Sincerely,

Tracy

Tracy Paddock Beam


For information on Hurricane Gustav Relief efforts of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, visit www.GustavLouisiana.org.