BonaResponds Christmas Ornaments

BonaResponds Christmas Ornaments,
originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

It looks like we will be working between Biloxi and Bay St. Loius on our January trip. If you are going to be in the area, let us know! January 2-12.

If you want to buy these ornaments (they will be mailed to you for free), please email BonaResponds@sbu.edu.

AP Wire | 11/25/2006 | Runner contributes $110K for Katrina relief in Pass Christian

AP Wire | 11/25/2006 | Runner contributes $110K for Katrina relief in Pass Christian:

"The city of Pass Christian has received a $110,000 check from a man who raised donations for hurricane relief by running across the country.

Jonathan Price, 26, presented the check Friday as a small crowd Pass Christian residents cheered his arrival. ABC 'Good Morning America' co-host Robin Roberts, a native of Pass Christian, plans to air the segment during Monday's program."

Mississippi Home Again

I acidentally posted this on BonaResponds too, but I will leave it there too. The more who see it, maybe the more that will help.

Mississippi Home Again:

"The Mississippi Home Again Relief Fund is a non-profit organization established to help Mississippi Gulf Coast residents with limited financial resources to resettle in their homes after Katrina, a critical step on the long road back to normal life, independence and dignity. We assist these individuals and families by replacing their most fundamental, most costly household essentials destroyed in the hurricane: typically hot water heaters, stoves, refrigerators and beds. We also aim to replenish their spirits with personal attention, empathy, compassion and humor. "

The Sun Herald | 11/22/2006 | Elderly in FEMA trailers served

The Sun Herald | 11/22/2006 | Elderly in FEMA trailers served:

"...many South Mississippians still living in FEMA trailers. Many of those residents are over 65 and socially isolated because of disabilities and health conditions.

Because of one person's compassion, more than 80 senior citizens were treated to a Thanksgiving lunch at the Lighthouse Apostolic Church in Biloxi on Tuesday."

City of Biloxi to be featured onCNN

City of Biloxi:

"The issues of Biloxi’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina will receive national attention on Thanksgiving when Nancy Grace of CNN Headline News devotes her program to the rebuilding effort in Biloxi
....

Grace was in Biloxi earlier this month, helping rebuild homes in east Biloxi. According to CNN’s preview of the program: “Nancy Grace helps rebuild Biloxi, Miss., homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina and talks to survivors of the deadly storm. More than a year later, federal and state aid is held up in red tape, while thousands remain homeless or living in FEMA trailers that may be taken away soon.”"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Habitat Homes Not Responsible For Union Street Flooding:

"Habitat for Humanity's Hancock County project manager wants to set the record straight. She says Habitat's Union Street development in Bay St. Louis did not cause the street flooding that followed last week's heavy rain storm."

And later:

"City work crews pulled all kinds of debris out of the ditches from old wheelbarrows to old tires. Habitat is in the process of building ten homes on Union Street. When the organization heard the flooding complaints, it hired an engineer to look into the flooding problem.

Hands On Blog » Blog Archive » Fewer Volunteers, Greater Need as Pressure Grows to Gut New Orleans Homes

Cross listed on BonaResponds as well

From the Hands On Blog: Fewer Volunteers, Greater Need as Pressure Grows to Gut New Orleans Homes:

"A rush of volunteers came to New Orleans in the months after the storm hit, in August 2005, and countless more since. But many organizations have reported sharp declines in recent months. And that’s happened just as pressure from the city mounts for homeowners to gut their homes: If they don’t have them cleaned by now or put on a waiting list to be cleaned, they could face possible property seizures or demolition.

The waiting lists for free gutting service offered by a dozen nonprofit groups are months-long. “We try and give priority to the elderly and people with special medical needs, but we’re not turning anyone away,” said Mitchell, who works for Louisiana United Methodist Storm Recovery,"

1500 new homes to be built

1500 new homes are being built in Biloxi!

housing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

RedOrbit - Science - Dead Tree Response Poor: One-Fifth Expected to Be Removed

RedOrbit - Science - Dead Tree Response Poor: One-Fifth Expected to Be Removed:

"The federal government's offer to pay for removing dead trees from the Katrina surge zone has gotten a poor response in unincorporated areas of Jackson County.

This means that the number of trees to be removed will be close to one-fifth of what was originally expected.

The surge zone, as FEMA set it out, is anywhere the water reached. Trees are only eligible if they were touched by the surge.

Jackson County supervisors considered the issue Monday when they heard that the consulting firm they hired had only 500 right-of-entry forms turned in from private property owners allowing the government to come onto their property to get the trees. Those account for only about 1,200 trees.

"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Vietnamese Community Still Struggling After Katrina

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Vietnamese Community Still Struggling After Katrina:

"Bui is a Gulf Coast representative of NAVASA, an organization that has been on the ground since the storm, helping Vietnamese-Americans rebuild their lives. He hears from many frustrated business owners, who are wondering why many families aren't building back. Bui points to many challenges, including uncertainty about the city's development plans, lack of insurance and grant money, and then there's the language barrier.

'It's really difficult,' James Bui says. 'Not only are you Katrina victims, you have just a lack of access to resources like everyone else. But you're even farther behind the line because the language access, the cultural incompetency on both ends.'"

News from Handson

From Michelle Nunn:

"Fast Company magazine has just announced that Hands On Network is a winner of their 2007 Social Capitalist Award. The annual award is given out by Fast Company and The Monitor Group to recognize nonprofits that combine creativity and ingenuity with business solutions to address social challenges. We are honored to be in such prestigious company with winners that include City Year, Civic Ventures, Citizen Schools, Jumpstart, Heifer International, and Teach for America. The issue will be on newsstands next week.

Hands On is one of five “Prime Partners” featured, recognizing our tremendous corporate partnership with The Home Depot and Bob Nardelli’s leadership of our Corporate Service Council. We are also enormously grateful to our affiliates for the outstanding work they do every day in communities around the world. "

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi:

"An early morning thunderstorm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain on parts of Biloxi has forced street flooding and caused roof and water damage at City Hall.

Motorists, faced with a flooded U.S. 90, navigated Pass Road and Irish Hill Drive enroute to work this morning.
......
At City Hall, where Mayor A.J. Holloway said it appeared a small tornado may have touched down around 6 this morning, Public Works crews were inspecting and repairing damage to the roof along the north side of the three story building.

Water seeped into all three floors of the north side of the building, areas that were also damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

Tree limbs were downed in front of the downtown library, across from CIty Hall on Lameuse Street. Public Works crews were clearing storm drains and catch basins in flood-prone areas."

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi

City of Biloxi - Gulf Coast Mississippi:

"An early morning thunderstorm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain on parts of Biloxi has forced street flooding and caused roof and water damage at City Hall.

Motorists, faced with a flooded U.S. 90, navigated Pass Road and Irish Hill Drive enroute to work this morning.
......
At City Hall, where Mayor A.J. Holloway said it appeared a small tornado may have touched down around 6 this morning, Public Works crews were inspecting and repairing damage to the roof along the north side of the three story building.

Water seeped into all three floors of the north side of the building, areas that were also damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

Tree limbs were downed in front of the downtown library, across from CIty Hall on Lameuse Street. Public Works crews were clearing storm drains and catch basins in flood-prone areas."

Mold, maggots in New Orleans homes left to rot - Yahoo! News

Mold, maggots in New Orleans homes left to rot - Yahoo! News:

"More than a year after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, thousands of homes damaged by flooding still stand empty, stained by black mold and some of them infested with maggots.

City authorities are now cranking up a $20 million drive to deal with a problem until now addressed mainly by charities, home-owners and contractors who have worked to gut the properties and eliminate the health hazard they pose"

Biloxi Housing Slowly Returning: Red Tape Still Creating Hurdles, but 0M Plan Approved

RedOrbit - Science - Biloxi Housing Slowly Returning: Red Tape Still Creating Hurdles, but 0M Plan Approved:

"The Biloxi Housing Authority, which lost 62 percent of its units to Hurricane Katrina, is rebuilding. But the process is slower than Delmar Robinson, the chairman of the agency's board, would like. The agency is awaiting federal recovery money it had hoped to receive months ago. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved a plan to use up to $100 million to repair and rebuild affordable housing on the Coast."

Robinson is upset because a third round of damage assessments is ongoing, and he still doesn't know how much Biloxi will receive.

'It's just taking too long,' he said. 'To me, it's totally ridiculous... I can't express the frustration with having to go through different assessments for damage for our units in Biloxi. "

This Sunday!!--Cross listed

NEW NEW NEW!! BonaResponds is happy to announce a new phase in our efforts to assist the Buffalo Region reciver from teh October Surprise snow storm. This new phase going be in conjunction with Erie county, the Olmsted Parks, the West Seneca Youth Bureau Americorps. This is a HUGE opportunity for volunteers to not only help Buffalo but also to develop ties with the Americorp program.

This weekend we will be working in areas of South and East Buffalo that have barely been touched since the storm. These jobs will include cleaning up properties of the poor, elderly, and handicapped in the area as well as cleaning up MLK park (.

Our base of operations will be the Charles E. BurchfieldNature & Art Center- 2001 Union Road - West Seneca, NY 14224 between Clinton and Race/Indian church road. MAP

We really need a good showing to start off the new relationships and to show what we can do. So if you can come, PLEASE do and bring some friends! Bring your roommates, team mates, friends, and enemies. The more the merrier! It will be fun and the impact will be immense! (and remember for every time you volunteer for a full day of service, we will take $10 off the cost of a trip to the Gulf).

We will be leaving the Murphy Lot on SUNDAY at 8:50 AM. We will return to campus at about 7:30. Dinner will be provided. We have 2 vans, but be prepared to car-pool (we will pay $10 for gas for any vehicle of 4 or more volunteers).

Dress for the conditions: you should wear boots, clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and a good pair of gloves. It is also recomended that you bring a change of clothes for the ride home.

Come on out, it is going to be a huge day and a great way to kick off several new service relations!


* This looks great on a resume, counts as service hours, and you get to network with some of the best in the area. You will be very glad you came out!!




For more info email BonaResponds@sbu.edu

Way to support BonaResponds for free and from home!

BonaResponds has started a GoodSearch account whereby the orgianzation gets money for you doing a search! (We get one cent for each search you do.)

The search uses the Yahoo search engine and you can set a button to your toolbar or download a special toolbar that will remember us.

Just remember to select BonaResponds as the charity.

Welcome : GoodSearch : Search the Internet with GoodSearch and support your favorite charity or school.:

"GoodSearch There's no reason not to.
You Search...We Give!"

The Sun Herald | 11/04/2006 | Volunteer devoted to recovery

The Sun Herald | 11/04/2006 | Volunteer devoted to recovery: "

Sarah Chasin, a junior at George Washington University, spent her 2006 spring break in Biloxi helping repair a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and she has been devoted to South Mississippi's recovery ever since.

'Katrina was a call to action. I lived in a tent that week,' Chasin said. The experience inspired her to leave her hometown of Sharon, Mass., and return to South Mississippi to work as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America. AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs."......
'I saw that I could help,' she said. 'It fit perfectly for me. Our goal in Mississippi is sustainable volunteerism. You can't put a price on actual work.'

Chasin also said she hopes her one-year stint in South Mississippi will motivate students to pitch in and help the area continue to rebuild. "

Article on BonaResponds

The Bona Venture:

"'We heard the trees breaking and the transformers making noise the night before. One of my thoughts was, 'this would be a great job for BonaResponds.' (I) had no idea that (BonaResponds) was already well ahead of the game,' Hoffmann said. 'Buffalo and the surrounding suburbs are a huge part of the Bonaventure family. The fact that BonaResponds is so proactive in responding to disasters of this nature really makes FEMA and its equivalents look foolish,' she added.

Members of BonaResponds couldn't go to Buffalo last weekend as planned because of weather conditions. Instead, the group went to Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean to finish its improvement project at the school."

Gerde's (282 Porter St.) - a photoset on Flickr

Gerde's (282 Porter St.) - a photoset on Flickr--

Wow! There were still a few interiros to do in Biloxi! I would not have guessed that!