Real People Hurricane Relief

Real People Relief is for individuals, families and groups who wish to help a person or family directly, with no "middle man" "Be The Change" Ghandi "I pray that I may not be tempted, by indifference or selfishness to withhold from others the help I have received." Author Unknown to me

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Carol + 5



Carol R, Ashli, William, Amber, Alexa, Connor

Email: crandall0523 @hotmail.com

Location: Pre-Katrina - I lived in St. Bernard Parish, just outside of New Orleans
Post-Katrina – Lived in California for a year.
Currently – Living in a Fema trailer in Picayune, MS

Number if Household: Six
Carol – 41 years old
Ashli – 21 years old
William – 19 years old
Amber – 13 years old
Alexa – 1 year old
Connor – 7 months old

Situation: I rented in St. Bernard prior to the hurricane. We lost everything except for a couple days worth of clothes. I had renters insurance which doesn’t cover flood, therefore they didn’t pay me anything. Because I had renters insurance, Fema did not pay me either other than rental assistance until I got into the Fema trailer.
After the storm hit and we were here and there for 3 weeks, we went to CA upon the request of some friends to stay with them. I was able to get my kids into a temporary stable environment and back into school (my son was a senior and my daughter in 6th grade). We finally found an apartment and ended up staying in CA for a year waiting to see if we could get a Fema trailer back home.
We got the Fema trailer in August 06 and moved back. My employer held my job for me, however now I am traveling 40 minutes each way. I used to be 10 minutes from work. I cannot afford the high rents so we are still in a Fema trailer.
I am trying to find a higher paying job so we can get an apartment, but right now all of my income is consumed by utilities, gas to travel to and from work, food and other bills. Our lives are still far from settled.
We applied for Fema, Red Cross and Salvation Army help.
Like others, we received a debit card from the Red Cross just after the storm and used that for clothing, etc. We received help from a church in CA of furniture, food gift cards, etc. but had to give the furniture away to other evacuees when we moved back to MS.
My husband lost his job in January 07 and with the stress of the hurricane and then that, our marriage didn’t survive. He and I have been separated for 4 months, so I am going this alone now. Trying to do all I can for my children, grandchildren and myself.
Any help would be greatly appreciated especially with the holidays coming.

Current living arrangements: Fema trailer in Picayune, MS

Help Rec’d: Rental assistance from Fema while renting (now in Fema trailer)
Food Stamps after storm (for 6 months)
Red Cross debit card in 9/05
$100 from Resurrection Life Church toward utility bills

Needs: Any food or household supplies

Clothing:
Amber - 12/14
Alexa – 24 months
Connor – 12 months

Gift Cards:
Walmart (for food or other items)
Winn-Dixie
Penney’s
Target
Aeorpostale
12/1
As I said before, I know that many people think that everyone who went through Katrina must be settled by now, but that is far from true. We struggle daily with the loss of our town, community of friends and just dealing with the fact that overnight our lives have been changed forever...but in the end through our own determination and the help and kindness of others, our lives will be repaired and hopefully we will be stronger human beings. We have learned that there are wonderful people in this world such as you, who can and will make a difference in many lives...and on behalf of myself and my family, I thank you for that.

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Christie S + 2

Christie, Husband and Son
Email: Sutfinmom @ bellsouth.net
Location: Hattiesburg,ms
Number in Household - 3 husband (disabled) 45; son(several learning disabilities)8; self(disabled)31
Situation - rented mobile home during storm it was ruined. Between my grandfather and me we got a small 3 bedroom trailer for our family. no fema help
Needs - I am in serious need of electric assistance
we live on disability and its hard just to make ends meet and now my husbands sister is dying of cancer they also need help. I worked until I was diagnosed with dysplasic hips on both legs.
***need electric and gas bill help all of or agencies are out of funds Please help!**
Any help would be a God send!

boy(9): electronic games and board games, army, eyeclopse--
mens med. shirt,
mens 40x30 pants,
mens 9 1/2 shoe, socks
mens large Underwear ( colored boxer briefs)

girl(12): make-up, lisa frank sets(stickers&stationary), music, purses--
ladies med. tops,
ladies 9 1/2 shoe, socks
jr. size 14/16 pants

self(32)
size 22/24 womens pants ,
xxl shirts,
10 shoe, socks
40D bra,
10 panties

Husband (46)
size 2 or 3 XL underwear (regular briefs colored) ,
socks have to be really stretchy feet swell bad!,
shirts 6XL,
pants 5XL

Family Needs
towels, wash clothes,
laundrey soap,
bath soap, shampoo
Dish Soap etc.

it is so hard just to catch up i dont think i ever will thank goodness for people who care!

Stores wal-mart. mostly at the discount stores to make money last a little longer

Thanks
Chris

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Saturday, March 24, 2007

Beware of Scams

3/26 I post this one day and the next, all of the families are getting emails.
I am posting every letter that has been sent to the families. It's an active email address since the person replies. I'm going to try to get with Yahoo to work on nailing whomever. I doubt it'll be successful since I'm guessing the person is not in this country, but we'll see.
First, if you get any of these emails, alert Yahoo at abuse@yahoo.com OK?

Just found out from Yahoo they can not investigate any real fraud or extorsion. I did a little more research and found you can report through an arm of the gov't. Please consider doing this.
https://complaint.ic3.gov/Default.aspx
Internet Crime Complaint Center
Even if you haven't become a victim, you can help others who HAVE.

#1 letter
From: Michelle Bill
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 6:19:42 PM
Subject: Re; How May I Help In (HURRICANE KATRINA.)

I hope this letter may bring you some comfort in a moment where the circumstances of life are proving to be so cruel on you. You know, things not always go as well we would like them to, not always do we reach our destination by taking the easiest road. I know that stumbling on a stone along the way will not make you give up on your goals and aims. This letter is just to express something very simple: you¢re a great. I know that it¢s not a very pleasant experience the one you¢re going through right now and that¢s exactly why I¢m writing to you: to tell you¢ll always have my support, my affection and my friendship. And very shortly, you will smile upon the memory of such a difficult period of time in your life. Please let me know how I may help you.

Note: PLEASE I WANT A REPLY ONLY FROM THOSE WHO NEED HELP AND WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES IN A VICTIM OF HURRICANE KATRINA.

Michelle.

#2 Letter
From: Michelle Bill
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 10:43:52 AM
Subject: How May I Help In (HURRICANE KATRINA.)

Hello

This suck me and i dont know what to say and what to do than to help but if i may ask you what exactly do you want to become in your life cause for me to help pay your bill cabt solve the whole of your problem......Please dont look at me like someone that talk too much which people call talkative and garulous but it just your words touch my heart and make me pissed off when i look at this world it will look like i shouldn't have come to this world but what are we going to do,are we going to blame god that created us into this earth or are we going to say why did he greated us.

Being the fact that you are looking for help why cant i introduce something better and something that can change your life totally for you than to look for people's help online and if you look at online contact,you will see that there are many people online who is using someone chance to gain one another by taken advantage of him or her but it is not their fault but poverty lead them to do what they are doing....LET FORGET ABOUT THAT IF I MAY ASK YOU? WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME AND HOW COME THE WHOLE OF THE STORY HAPPEN TO YOU ONLY CAUSE IT IS TOO MUCH AND THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO EMAIL YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE CAUSE WHEN I SAW YOUR POST AT THE WEBSITE,I READ IT AND READ IT ONCE AGAIN AND IT TOUCH MY HEART AND I DECIDED TO EMAIL YOU IF I COULD HELP THROHG FINANCIALLY BUT I WANTED TO DONATE THROUGH PAYPAL BUT I DONT USE THAT SINCE SOMEONE HACK MY BANK DETAILS AND GET SOME LOTS OF MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT,I LATER CLOSED THE ACCOUNT.

I still need to give some orphanage home their needs and they have been emailing me but i told them that i cant help them this week only if they can wait till next week so that i can know whar to fo then.

Glad to read and hearing from you back as soon as possible.
Happy Weekend.

Michelle.

#3 Letter

Hmmmmm,........i go through your last email and i understand what you need and how you want your life to be changed totally not that you need any handout from anybody but if i get you well,is that you are looking for monetary term or if i get you better you need financial help as money itself....Anyway,it is a good idea from you and it help people to know your heart and what you need.Well i am ready to donate money to you but if will be by check cause i cant send money in cash to you and i will need your contact details to do this cause i still need to send money to the orphanage hone cause i always donate to them interms of their needs.
Get back with your full name,address and phone number for me to send out the check to you asap.

Michelle.

#4 Letter - Language changed....
i want you to know right now that when i saw your post at the website it really bit my heart but if i may ask you onething what exactly happen to you cause when i go through your message i really felt to help you out but there many people online who are not honest and trusthworthy cause later on when i help people online they later one **** me up because i use to donate to the orphanage home too and i always explained to those who i help out as a matter of fact i work for god and also clean the house of god that is the way god's bless me....What about you? did you normally go to chuech? and what is your belive in god?

I will be looking forward to read from you and more about your life history if you don't mind telling me alot about you and your family?

Michelle.

Be Alerted About Scams

It is a sad truth that sites like these are a hunting ground for scammers. There is nothing that can be done to prevent it as far as we know. If people who want to help you are to be able to contact you, then your information must be public and you become a target for others as well.

Postings as fairly desperate makes you a good target. Scammers are looking for people who may be desperate enough to not think things through or to take a chance thinking they have nothing left to lose. You need to be on your guard to make sure you aren't scammed.

Beware of anyone sending you a certified or cashier's check from which you are to send some money and keep the rest. Usually, this scam requires you to wire them money or to cut them a cashier's check too. When there's turns out to be a forgery, you'll be out the money. Your bank may tell you the check is good and make the money available but they won't fix it. This scam is also used to purchase items.

Third Parties.
Any time the person who wants to help you wants to have some third party mixed in the transaction, be nervous. Usually this will be someone who will give you a check that you will cash and forward for them to the scammer, but there are other variations.

Titles:
Many scammers claim to be Doctors, Lawyers, Attornies, Barristers, Professors, Reverends or Pastors. They use these titles to help convince you to trust them.

*I know we can't live in protective shell and be scared all the time. But we can be informed and have open eyes to the reality*.

God Bless You All.
Sweet_granny (who mostly lives in The Library!)

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