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ask.heather@mail.house.gov
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In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax |
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax |  |
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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico
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| How you can help ... |
September 16, 2005 |
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09/09/2005
Dear Friends,
The Congress came back into session on Tuesday and it was a busy week.
Tuesday night, the Cabinet -- pretty much all of them -- came to the House floor and spent 3 hours briefing us and answering questions about Katrina, its aftermath, and the way forward.
We had hearings on Medicaid and I had several lengthy discussions with my colleagues on delaying any changes that would reduce the rate of growth of Medicaid until we assess the impact of Katrina.
Roadrunner Food Bank
Heather thanked the Roadrunner Food Bank & took part in the effort to provide packages of food and basics for those evacuees who are in Albuquerque.
We had a hearing on the impact of Katrina on energy and gasoline prices and I started drafting a bill on gasoline gouging during emergencies.
During the energy hearing, Governor Haley Barbour testified by video link up from Mississippi. It`s good to hear more than just the sound bite from the news from a guy in the thick of it. One of the astounding things was how they have restored power. When the electric power goes out the pumps don`t work for water or for gasoline at gas stations, food spoils, people`s radios and TVs don`t work, hospitals run on generators and worry about getting more diesel to run them. Getting power back is always a priority.
Mississippi lost every transmission line 150 miles deep from the coast and had 2 power plants damaged. Within 9 days, they had restored almost all electric power. How? 7,000 linemen and tree cutters from around America and Canada descended on Mississippi and worked around the clock to clear debris and restore power.
There will be a lot of lessons learned from this disaster. I don`t have much patience for public figures who point fingers during major emergencies. I`m of the shut-up-and-start-bailing school of thought. But I do believe in rigorous "kitchen sink" sessions after the party is over.
But lesson one is so obvious and so much a part of our character as Americans that we don`t even notice it. One of the greatest strength of America is the initiative, inventiveness and goodness of its people. We pitch in. We figure it out. We call our buddies, throw our gear in the truck and go fix power lines. We do things without being told to do things. Call friends, make contacts and solve problems.
There are a million little examples of that over the last 12 days. As we continue to recover, that great strength will still be with us.
Wish you were here,
Donation Information from the Albuquerque Journal`s website:
Everyone is invited to "Hospitality Jam," a free musical concert from 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Civic Plaza. Albuquerqueans can meet and welcome evacuees. The New Mexico African American Alliance, the city of Albuquerque and several businesses are sponsoring the event. Cash donations for hurricane victims will be accepted. Call 275-0050 for more information.
Roadrunner Food Bank, 2645 Baylor SE, would appreciate it if people wait until Friday before dropping off donations. At that time, they will accept food, water, baby and other hygiene items. Call for directions at 247-2052 or visit the Web site rrfb.org.
The Salvation Army is accepting clothes and other household items, but only to help people in the Albuquerque area. The charity, which has enough donated clothing in storage to help hurricane evacuees, will announce if more donations are needed in the future. Volunteers are needed to sort clothes. Call 881-4292 for more information.
The Storehouse is accepting food as well as clothing donations to help evacuees. Please bring donations between 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. to the south or east entrances at 106 Broadway SE. To volunteer in the future, call 842-6491.
Chabad of New Mexico, 4000 San Pedro NE, is collecting toys, new and slightly used, games, children`s books and school supplies from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Items will be distributed to evacuees in Albuquerque as well shipped to Houston for displaced children. Call 880-1181 for more information.
Albuquerque Rescue Mission needs volunteers to sort clothing. Call 346-4673, Ext. 233.
For information on volunteering with Catholic Charities, call 724-4670.
Cash donations may be sent to:
New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, 344 Fourth SW, 87102
The Salvation Army, P.O. Drawer 27690, 87125-7690
Catholic Charities, 6001 Marble NE, 87110
The Albuquerque American Red Cross, 142 Monroe NE, 87108
The Storehouse, 106 Broadway SE, 87102.
09/06/2005
Dear friends,
I just got back from the Albuquerque Convention Center where I welcomed evacuees coming from Louisiana. The Red Cross has hundreds of volunteers doing amazing work to take care of people who have lost everything, and there will be more coming tomorrow.
Now is the time for us to help people, but we have to do it effectively.
Mannin` the Phones: Red Cross volunteers are working long hours to take your cash donations. Call them at 505-265-8514.
I talked to the shelter manager, Wendy Riley, who is doing an incredible job of organizing the living space where people will be housed temporarily.
They’ve even setting up a movie night for our guests!
Check the Roadrunner Food Bank’s website, where all of the helping organizations will list the supplies they need at any given time.
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The best thing you can do is donate cash to the Red Cross. The Wal-Mart out by Cottonwood Mall donated hundreds of pillows and other supplies, and volunteers are getting those items to where they`re needed.
The Red Cross will do local press briefings twice a day to let you know, through the media, what needs they have. You can also call the city`s information line at 311.
CASH DONATIONS
To donate cash, call the Red Cross locally at 505-265-8514. A lot of people have been calling the national 800 number and it`s often busy. You can call the Red Cross locally--they`re staffing the phones all week to take your calls.
The Roadrunner Food Bank is also accepting donations of non-perishable food items and water. They`ll also take things like diapers and soap... the kinds of things we use everyday and take for granted. You can drop donations off at:
The Roadrunner Foodbank
2645 Baylor SE
Open Monday 12-5
8-5 the rest of the week.
Thanks in advance for helping our guests feel at home.
A partial list of national charitable and religious organizations accepting donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina:
Red Cross: 1 (800) HELP-NOW or www.redcross.org
Salvation Army: 1 (800) SAL-ARMY or www.salvationarmyusa.org
Catholic Charities: 1 (800) 919-9338 or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
Episcopal Relief & Development: 1 (800) 334-7626 or www.er-d.org
United Methodist Committee on Relief: 1 (800) 554-8583 or www.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/hurricanes/2005.org
Operation USA: 1 800) 678-7255 or www.opusa.org
FEMA Charity tips: www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: www.nvoad.org
Islamic Relief: www.irw.org/katrina
ICNA Relief: www.icnarelief.org
United Jewish Communities: www.ujc.org
Humane Society of the United States: www.hsus.org
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