This morning, I received this email (slightly edited below) from my brother-in-law Steve Filreis, in Atlanta.
Yesterday afternoon, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta convened an emergency conference call with professional leadership from local agencies, synagogues, shelters and camps. We discussed specific ways our community will be assisting evacuees from the Gulf Coast communities with housing, education and job needs. The outpouring from our community has been extraordinary and our network of Jewish community agencies, schools, synagogues and organizations will work together to most effectively help those in need. Our community agencies, synagogues and organizations are working in close partnership to respond to this crisis:
1. JF&CS is responding to a wide variety of issues for evacuees now in Atlanta, including medical, financial, counseling and job placement needs. They are also assembling a volunteer corps prepared to assist in many different ways;
2. The Atlanta Rabbinical Association will coordinate with all area synagogues the collection of names of volunteer hosts willing to house evacuees for the short and long term and forward this information to the MJCCA's Housemate Match program; The MJCCA is also prepared to open its health and wellness facilities to evacuees
3. Atlanta area day schools and the MJCCA pre-school have begun accepting students from New Orleans. CJEe is serving as a clearinghouse for information and coordination;
4. Camps Barney, Coleman and Ramah Darom are prepared to offer their facilities if needed as temporary shelters;
5. The Cohen Home has offered temporary shelter for evacuees, along with the Congregation Shearith Israel Shelter;
6. Hillels of Georgia is preparing to coordinate student volunteers;
7. Congregation Or Hadash reports that 50 members are prepared to host evacuees in their homes;
8. The AA Synagogue is hosting a bat mitzvah of a New Orleans girl in September; other synagogues have begun discussing ways of offering High Holiday tickets to evacuees;
9. The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta is representing the Atlanta Jewish community in working directly with United Way and other Atlanta non-profits on community-wide responses;
10. Also, since this, The Temple Night Shelter and the Shearith Israel Night Shelter are open for Storm refugees.
11. Beth Jacob is referring offers of help to Susan Metz at JF&CS
Here's how you can help:
* To make an online contribution with a credit card, click here: Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
* To send a check, make it payable to "JFGA", put "Hurricane Katrina" in the memo line, and send to Randy Gorod, JFGA, 1440 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta, 30309;
* If you need help - or know someone who does - contact Yael Stein, LCSW, at Jewish Family & Career Services: 770-677-9305 or ystein@jfcs-atlanta.org;
* If you want to help, or to "adopt" an evacuee family, contact Susan Metz at JF&CS: 770-677-9329 or smetz@jfcs-atlanta.org;
* If you are able to host evacuees in your home - for either a short time (less than a month) or an extended period (up to 6 months), contact Rita Zadoff at the MJCCA's Housemate Match at 770-395-2625 or housemate@atlantajcc.org
