Please help my family

It really sucks that this is my first diary, but I'm running out of options. My family lives in a rural area in Mississippi, 90 miles north of Biloxi and they and their fellow citizens need help. No one has noticed their needs.

I live a thousand miles away in South Florida. Mama refuses to let me come up -- not that I can get to them because the highways that I need to get to them are restricted to emergency personnel. So I've resorted to emailing U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a congressman in Mississippi, to plead for assistance. Maybe someone else in the dKos community has some ideas.

My email is below:

Rep. Thompson,

I'm writing on behalf of my mother. She is a native of Bolton, and has lived in Prentiss, Miss. (Jefferson Davis County), for more than 40 years. Her deceased husband is another Bolton native and former president of the Jeff Davis branch of the NAACP. I believe both of my parents grew up with you back in the day.

I just got off the telephone with mama. She can accept phone calls, but can't call out -- except in the Jeff Davis County. Her complaint is that no one in leadership has stepped up to do ANYTHING for the citizens. As you know, Jeff Davis is predominantly black. The only time the county is in the news is in regard to rodent problems in the local schools and about rampant drug use and sales. There is little leadership even among African Americans. My dad was one of few who did speak; he's been dead since April 1999 and can't speak.

According to mama, "people are in dire straights. Power lines are down in the streets, trees are everywhere." They don't have electricity and some don't have running water. The citizens are cutting back trees that stretch across the roadways so they can get to their homes. There are no gasoline stations where she can get gas to drive to Jackson, Magee or Brandon. She says that power crews are passing Jefferson Davis County en route to who knows where.

So far, neither the mayor nor the county supervisors have called to add Jeff Davis to the disaster list. I called the American Red Cross (stayed on the phone on hold for two hours) to inform them of this. I got a list of shelters in adjacent counties, and was told that Jefferson Davis wasn't on the list.

Rep. Thompson, please help my mama. My dad was close to former Rep. Ronnie Shows, and always worked on his re-election campaign. These people need some help. It is greatly appreciated if you could reach out to Gov. Barbour and others who can direct some help with restoring power and making roads passable. They need gasoline, ice, water and food.

Any help that you can provide is appreciated.

•  Good luck

  I hope your letter gets the response it deserves.  You might also try emailing Rep. Gene Taylor - his district may be south of your mother's but it seems he himself lost his home in Bay St. Louis.

  AP link

  by djinniya on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:46:13 AM PDT

•  Trent Lott

  ...also lost his childhood home in Pascagoula.

  Here's an E-mail contact form to get in touch.

  by jorndorff on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:56:36 AM PDT

•  Find the Names of Local Supermarkets

  You can lobby the owner/operators to perform handouts of essentials. Electricity and gasoline are rarely essentials of life. Potable water and edible food is.
  Are some people back to work?
  What is the layout of the community? Is it possible that free-meal tables could be established outside the grocery stores or perhaps inside a neighboring restaurant where the food could be prepared hot for hundreds?
  Perhaps failing that, a local firehouse would have the necessary facilities?
  I suspect, just trying to be practical, that the retail operators might be more apt to support such a plan than straight up handouts since people are just that way.
  Churches of course can help too.
  For the young and elderly, a central location for TV watching and kibbitzing might be very effective and efficient, so that the able bodies can concentrate on getting everything back in order. A school gymnasium or cafeteria might be ideal for that, if close enough to get people home at the end of the night. You might want cots and assistance through the night for those best tended that way though.

  Anyhow it all depends on the community layout and whether the owners/officials want to be good friends to the people or not. Leadership isn't necessary, it's knowing what to do. I don't know but I think this is sound advice based on my own hurricane (and festival site crew) experience (which was nothing like this though).

  by NewDirection on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:02:16 AM PDT

  •  Stores all closed

    Thank you for the suggestions.

    No one is operating locally. The convenince stores, gas stations, grocery stores, banks ... all shut.

    However, I will contact the corporate offices of Piggly Wiggly, the local grocer. Maybe they can do something.

    My family is more than willing to do for themselves. But few of them have gasoline to drive anywhere, and the streets still are impassable.

    It just boggles my mind that the mayor and supervisors have not brought this to anyone's attention. I can't even comment about the governor -- at least nothing that does not include a string of four-letter words. Sigh.
    

    by CocoaLove on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:35:08 AM PDT

    •  I've Ridden Out Two Less Damaging Hurricanes

      The last, Hurricane Gloria, took out the power. The oceanwater got trapped in the bay and rode up the hill just a few feet below our house... something like 20+ I guess. We had filled up the bathtub for emergency water in advance, and went to the store for free, very soft ice cream knowing they'd be giving it out. It wasn't a terrible time. It was over pretty quickly although we were among the last to have power restored.

      It's hard to tell from afar, or from this site, how bad it is for most. There is a very good chance you family will be back to normal very soon. I don't mean don't worry, but they aren't in NO at least. Hopefully this will have a good impact on your community. Communities are built on memories of pulling together.

      by NewDirection on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:43:54 AM PDT

•  You Should Call Thompson's Office

  Emails will get lost in the shuffle.  You need to telephone Rep. Thompson's office.  On his congressional homepage there is a list of numbers for local offices as well as his DC office.  I would try them all:

  http://benniethompson.house.gov/HoR/MS02/Contact+Bennie/Contact+Bennie.htm

  by Pintlala on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:09:12 AM PDT

•  Brain storm of ideas

  Do you know who heads up the local PTA?  School Board?

  1.  For their organizational skills
     
  2.  They can appeal to the local retailers on behalf of the school kids and the elderly
     
  3.  Possibly the schools can be used for shelter?  Hard to tell from your description.

  I would look to yourself directly connecting with people like these.  You can start the ball rolling.  They may in fact be doing things you aren't aware of.

  by kfred on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:35:53 AM PDT

  •  Irony

    It really is ironic that you mention the school board. My dad also was the long-time president of the school board. <smile> I'll call my mom and ask about that.
    

    by CocoaLove on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:38:50 AM PDT

•  What about Morris Dees

  and the Southern Poverty Law Center? They're all about ending injustice and they're in Montgomery, AL.

  Praying for your family, CocoaLove. Keep us posted.

  by bunny on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 10:01:57 AM PDT