Hurricane Katrina: Blog for Relief Weekend

Thank you Kate at Accidental Hedonist for the announcement about Blog for Relief Day - now Blog for Relief Weekend - all organised by the truth laid bear.

Please donate to the American Red Cross - directly or through Amazon's "Donate with 1-Click" program. Or please donate to America's Second Harvest - "the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization."

I'd also like to ask you to donate to Noah's Wish - money, supplies, or time. Noah's Wish is "a not-for-profit animal welfare organization with a straightforward mission - to keep animals alive during disasters."

Ironically, September is National Preparedness Month. After you make your donation, please make your disaster kit - or check it if you already have one.

I keep hearing on the news that National Geographic had an article warning of the three greatest disasters that could hit the United States: a levee break in New Orleans, terrorism in New York City, and an earthquake in San Francisco.

When I lived in Los Angeles, my sister Annie and I always had our earthquake kits at the ready - including supplies for our dog Karli. My favourite part was planning the food of course. It was a simple, tangible reassuring way to supress the distant, frightening question "Is this enough to survive?"

We refreshed them every six months - they say a good reminder is to re-do them every time we change our clocks - and we'd eat the foods nearing expiration. We always ate all the "comfort/stress foods" too - whether they were about to expire or not - it was our small celebration that we'd lived another six months without The Big One.

But we only had supplies for three days - because that's what they recommend.

Today it's now five days after the hurricane - and people still need help - and they will still need help for many more days.

Again, please donate. If you have - thank you. And then make your kit. If you have one - double it.

I'm doing mine in Paris this weekend - what a sobering thought.

Please all take care.