Hurricane Gustav at its height and in the aftermath
Friday, Sept. 7, 2008
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We thank each of you for your concern and offers of support as we seek to respond to Hurricane Gustav. As many of you are aware, Gustav knocked out power throughout our Diocese, and several areas are facing weeks without electricity. This, in turn, has created significant problems for people’s access to food, health care, and in some cases even safe drinking water, while also contributing to major fuel shortages. For many households, the economic hardship of evacuation—calculated for many in unbudgeted expenditures of gas, hotel stays, and meals away from home—has been exacerbated by the continued power outage. Relief supplies from FEMA, the Red Cross, and Salvation Army have begun to arrive, but lines are long and demand far outpaces supply. In addition, many rural areas are still waiting to be served.