Quiet

We didn't get any new clients yesterday. The Red Cross office is much more quiet and calm. We expect families to arrive over the next several months, as they sort out living arrangements.

I met with the chaplain of Mercy Health Center to discuss a couple of potential programs. We are planning an event to recognize our new families and thank everyone who has offered their time and money to the Red Cross. Not sure how big of an event this will be. Whatever we do, we need to do it soon because many of these families will be moving. The other topic for discussion is a family-to-family matching program that will have a permanent structure in the community. I have done previous work on mentoring (the ParentShare Program) that could be adapted for use in a family-to-family context. Matt is the leader for an interfaith council of pastors (not sure what it's called) and will be meeting with them today to discuss these ideas.

One of my student teams called area hospitals on behalf of a nurse who survived Katrina who is looking for employment. When I called her to let her know what they found, she told me that was heading back to Louisiana to work there. I can imagine the need for nurses is huge.

I have learned a lot over the last two weeks. I have grown to admire the Red Cross, an organization that exists only with the help of volunteers. With the exception of one academic type who I have not seen for more than a week at the Red Cross office, I have discovered wonderful people who volunteered to work together to deal with a stressful situation.