Addressing the fears of oil and fuel shortages

One of the outcomes of the hurricane was the rising cost at the gas pumps and recognition of how dependent our nation is on oil and gasoline. Some will use this as a rationale to open the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling. This will do nothing to reduce U.S. oil dependence or gas prices.

There are more environmentally friendly ways. For a letter to Congress see either of these links:

Faithful America: http://ga3.org/campaign/protectearth
FCNL (Friends Committee on Nuclear Legislation):
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=8023491&type=CO
Please contact Representatives and Senators on Sept. 20.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE: PROTECT COASTAL COMMUNITIES FROM THE NEXT STORM BY PROTECTING WETLANDS
While mourning the tragedy that has devastated the Gulf Coast, environmental professionals with Environmental Defense note that since 1930, over a million acres of wetlands have disappeared from the Mississippi Delta. To send an e-mail to Congress urging support for wetlands restoration as one important way to protect the Gulf Coast in the future, see http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/restore_wetlands.

Where to donate items
Goodwill thrift stores
Salvation Army
Project HELP, 901 Neal St., Portable 451, Austin, TX

Where to find or offer housing
http://www.hurricanehousing.org
http://www.openyourhome.com

Where to donate money
KXAN News, Austin: - http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=3784237

KVUE News, Austin - Partnering with local Randall’s stores to raise money for hurricane relief. Starting today you can donate a dollar or more at the register. Randall’s will add the donated amount to your grocery bill and give 100% of your donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/30/help.agencies/index.html

http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/
animal_environ/hurricanes/?source=YAHOO&cmpgn=NEWS

Acorn Institute: - https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php
?id=36&referer=http%3A%2F%2Facorn%2Eorg%2F

American Red Cross - www.redcross.org or call 1.800.435.7669

American Second Harvest - www.secondharvest.org or call 512.771.2303

Catholic Charities USA – For more information visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) – 1.800.334.7626 or visit: http://erd.servicenetwork.com/Donate/Donate.asp

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) – http://www.hsus.org/ or call 1.800.259.5431(Help for our stranded animal friends)

Mercy Corps: http://www.mercycorps.org/

Salvation Army USA – The Salvation Army is currently providing services to storm victims and first responders in the Gulf Coast States. A $100 donation to the Salvation Army will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water and one household clean-up kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies. Please call 1.800.SAL.ARMY or visit: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Second Harvest: http://www.secondharvest.org/default2.asp

Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) – The Union for Reform Judaism has opened a disaster relief fund to aid those communities and URJ congregations affected by Hurricane Katrina. 100% of all donations made (minus credit card fees) will be forwarded to appropriate relief agencies. For more information or to donate to the URJ Disaster Relief Fund, call 212.650.4000 or visit http://urj.org/give/

United Way of America – Visit http://national.unitedway.org/ or call our local United Way of Central Texas offices at 512.472.6267.

Where to donate food

Capital Area Food Bank, Austin, TX - http://www.austinfoodbank.org or call (512) 282-2111
NEEDED: cans of tuna, bottled water, peanut better, granola bars, diapers

Mobile Loaves and Fishes - 512.328.7299 or visit http://www.mlfnow.org/

More Relief Efforts and Organizations

Act for Change - http://www.actforchange.com

Charity Navigator – www.charitynavigator.org
Provides information to potential donors to guide intelligent giving. Provides information on over four thousand charities and evaluates the financial health of each. Includes a special section on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Disaster News Network - http://www.disasternews.net/index.php
Disaster information and up to date news on relief efforts supporting Hurricane Katrina victims.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – www.fema.gov

GuideStar – http://www.guidestar.org/
GuideStar is a public charity that connects people with information on non-profit organizations and offers suggestions for donors looking for organizations to support.

National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) - http://www.nvoad.org/
NVOAD coordinates planning efforts by many voluntary organizations responding to disaster enabling a wide variety of volunteers and organizations to work together in a crisis.

Network for Good – www.networkforgood.org
Provides links to numerous organizations (assisting in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts) able to receive online donations.

Statement of Non-Violence

Providence Women, Prophetic Witnesses Defined by our reliance on God's Providence, we Sisters of Divine Providence commit ourselves to proclaim that only the power of God's love can transform our universe.

In response to the pervasive violence in our society and our universe, we commit ourselves to work for PEACE AND NONVIOLENCE in all that we do. In response to the spiritual hunger of our world, we commit ourselves to delve into God's love as contemplatives in action.

In this way our lives and our actions will witness hope in God's Providential love for all creation.

— CDP Chapter 2004

CHIP
Children's Health Insurance Program

As you reach out to learn what's inside you, and reach in to discover what you can give of yourself, you may come to realize what an awesome privilege and responsibility we have to be a part of our communities, our environment, our world!

With that privilege comes the concept of socially responsible citizenship; participating in the processes available to us as citizens to promote justice, well-being and dignity for everyone. Here's one way to do that. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a national program designed for families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, yet cannot afford to buy private insurance.

According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the State of Texas developed TexCare to raise awareness of the children's health insurance options available, and to help Texas families obtain and utilize affordable coverage for their uninsured children ages 0-19. However, as budget woes have deepened across the state, lawmakers have reduced many programs. In fact, the 78th Legislature made many deep and painful cuts in CHIP.

Program advocates are urging the Governor to reverse those cuts. They cite the following:

• More than 22% of Texas children are uninsured. Texas ranks 50th, the worst nationally.
• There is $538 million now that can be transferred to CHIP through a budget execution order by the Legislative Budget Board.
• It would take $207 million to restore the state Legislative cuts from CHIP for the current biennium.
• Texas will forfeit more than $517 million in federal CHIP matching funds if the program is not restored.

CHIP advocates are urging responsible citizens to contact the Governor asking him to restore CHIP now.

To do so, simply call or write:

Citizen's Opinion Hotline: (800) 252-9600 [Texas callers]
Citizen's Assistance & Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782 [Austin and out-of-state callers]
Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: (512) 463-2000 [7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST]
Citizen's Assistance Telecommunications Device
If you are using a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), call 711 for Relay Texas Fax

Office of the Governor
Fax: (512) 463-1849

Mailing Address:
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Delivery Address:
Office of the Governor
State Insurance Building
1100 San Jacinto
Austin, Texas 78701