The following letter was written on August 31,
2005 by Lorna Bourg, Executive Director of
Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc. located in New Iberia, LA.
Southern Mutual Help Association must call upon all of you to help us.
Louisiana is in the midst of a catastrophe. Not only is New Orleans
devastated but so are so many of the surrounding rural communities.
Fishers and family farmers already under the stress of international
trade agreements, have now lost homes and the very means of creating a
livelihood to recover. Many rural small businesses are destroyed. The
crops in many areas are gone - cane, citrus, soybeans. The fisheries
are destroyed in large areas of Louisiana's coast. This is a crisis for
small farmers, farm workers and fisher families.
SMHA knows from our lengthy recovery from hurricane Andrew in August of
1992 that rural areas are last and receive the least. Focus will
understandably be on urban areas such as New Orleans, on oil and gas
installations, on search, rescue and the basics of life like water,
food, shelter, medical treatment.
Many agencies and generous souls will be seeing to those needs.
SMHA is still assessing the situation of directly impacted rural
communities and families. We already know the Acadiana region around
Lafayette will have approximately 150,000 refugees looking first for
where to be for the time away from their homes (likely to be lengthy),
and secondly how to possibly recover and rebuild their future.
SMHA as a rural development organization needs your help in the recovery
effort.
SMHA needs money. It will take millions for dollars in grants and
specially structured loans to help rural families recover.
Please do all you can and then try to figure out how you can do more.
Please alert your network to our appeal.
Louisiana and the rural poor need you now. Please contact us as soon as
possible.
In deepest appreciation for you all.
Lorna Bourg
Executive Director
Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.
www.southernmutualhelp.org
