Dear Friends,



I am so happy to be able to reach you, as I am one of the very lucky ones who call New Orleans home. My home is dry. I’m alive and with family and friends.



The Covenant House New Orleans site was fortunate as well. We received little damage from the storm. And right now, our kids and many of our staff have been taken in by Covenant House Houston. During the storm, Mr. Calvin, our maintenance man, stayed behind and sheltered over 40 residents! Now everyone is out. And, at the present, the CHNO facility is being used as home base for the National Guard as well as a clinic to help evacuees and rescue workers who have been affected by the storm.



Yes, we have been blessed. But we very much need your help.



We have over 60 youth who have been displaced by the storm and nearly 100 employees,--many of whom are homeless. These are employees who are on social worker salaries, and have families of their own to support. Our youth now have one more thing to overcome—being displaced to a new city and facility. Our presence is taxing the Houston site and we need to be able to contribute to the running of this facility. We need to get back to the city to be able to offer the kinds of services we have been offering to at-risk and homeless youth and their kids plus some.



Now more than ever, Covenant House New Orleans will need to be poised and ready to help others who are less fortunate. It takes over 5 million dollars to run the facilities and programs of CHNO each year, and this number is not going to decrease. Please, if you are going to help the victims of hurricane Katrina, please consider a contribution to Covenant House New Orleans. It will be well spent, restoring the lives of homeless and at-risk youth, who will be the population needed to assist the city’s rebirth. So many of these kids are so close to being able to be independent, contributing members of society—let’s not lose them. Let’s keep their hopes alive and their spirits high. We need your help with our kids, our staff and the building of our facility—which I feel will be important to the future of the City of New Orleans.



You can contribute by going to our website www.covenanthouse.org. If you would prefer to send a check through the mail, please send it to our New York address notated for Hurricane Katrina relief. Please consider being a Friend of Covenant House, a monthly donation could help us get back on our feet faster. You can do this through automatic deductions from your bank or credit card account.



If you would like to get in touch with me personally, I am at 334.794.3554 or 504.812.2910. Thanking you in advance and wishing you all blessings, peace and a brighter future.



Sincerely,



Kathryn Wheat, RSW

After Care Case Manager

Covenant House New Orleans