COMMON GROUND RELIEF
Here is a wonderful organization that began the first week after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans. With then only 3 volunteers, they came with compassion to help the people. Their's was the first organization to open up a medical clinic in Algiers, and provide immediate assistance (food, water, supplies) to the thousands of low-income residents unable to evacuate. The recent hurricanes not only devastated much of the city of New Orleans, they exposed long-standing injustices faced by the residents of the lower income, African American communities. It is estimated that over 275,000 housing units were destroyed and efforts to clean up, repair or open livable housing has been slow. In New Orleans Parish, nearly 40% of the community earns under $20,000 per year, and more than 70% of the households are headed by a single parent. Literacy rate in New Orleans is roughly 39%. It is critical, therefore, that the immediate needs of the community are being met while long-term strategies to stabilize the community are initiated. Learn more at the Common Ground Relief website and read this recent news article, Restoring New Orleans, house by house.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:35-40)