Folks,

The following came in this evening from a friend that works with the Chattanooga Technology Council.  Please help if you can ...

Andy

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The Chattanooga Housing Authority has around 50 units available for qualifying families relocating here from the aftermath of Katrina. The need is for volunteers to show up (trucks are needed also) to help the families move. Chattanooga was so generous and we have enough to furnish apartments for, clothe and feed 50 families, at least. We have the apartments ready. What we don't have are healthy people who can load furniture, drive them to their new homes and help them get settled in. We have them pick out their furniture then we get the ladies to help them pick out all the kitchen, bathroom, bed stuff -- etc. then we move them. We also need someone to head the operation up each day, make decisions and keep things moving in the warehouse.

Last week we had to send three or four families back to shelters because we literally didn't have anyone there to move them. Today two families went back. 

It is hard to predict when the families will show up, but when they do it takes about 4 hours to pick all the stuff out. While we aren't serving families, we continue to organize and sort the donations.

Pass this onto any able-bodied men and women you know. The rewards have been life changing. Today I held a 4-week old baby for a young couple while they shopped. Less than two weeks ago they were on their roof for two days in New Orleans. We had to get a wheel chair for one lady to shop due to her injuries. These are some of the actual people you saw on TV begging for their lives. Now they need your help to move into the public housing and become self sufficient again. Today a lady's truck wouldn't start because she was completely out of gas. We had to get one of the men who was there to walk her through that. They are dazed, they've lost loved ones, they are SO grateful. Sometimes we just have to hold them and talk to them while we shop for them. The challenge is people trying to take time off work -- vacation days, etc. to do this during work hours.

Please make it easy for your emploees to take a day or two of vacation to help. If you can help, just show up at 801 N. Holtzclaw, between E.3rd St and Wilcox, turn a the Citico light toward the tracks and chain link fence and you'll see Chattanooga Housing Authority and Section Eight Housing. No need to call anyone. If you have questions, call 2-1-1 or 265-8000.
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Housing Authority-Warehouse Needs

Warehouse hours:  M-F 9-5 pm  
Saturday 9-2 pm

JOBS/Day: 

--     2 ADMINISTRATORS-Greet people, give out paperwork, make copies, and connect family with a SHOPPER.

--     10 SHOPPERS-Go with families down various aisles choosing items for the Evacuees home.

--     20 STRONG MEN & WOMEN (minimum with maximum of 30)-Able to do heavy lifting, carry heavy items to truck, etc.

--     5 "Extras"-help box items, transport people, go get items from other locations as needed.  Must drive.

Volunteers could work full-days or half-days.  Repeat days are helpful.  The warehouse will be operating until all 50 families have been placed.  We need to staff starting today and going for at least 2 weeks.



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Andy Novobilski, Ph.D.
Dept. of Computer Science
UT Chattanooga
v: (423) 425-4202