What is it? How does it work?

What it is:  There are a billion (okay.  lots.  there are lots) of ways to help the victims of Katrina.  Some are immediate and short term.  And wonderful.  This is longer term, less immediate, but allows us to explore and collect resources - and organize them!  We think of a project that a sanctuary city or organization (or even individual families) might really benefit from.  We think about it, first.  We investigate it, set it up, do the research, write proposals, hunt down hidden support ... in short, we do everything we can and then pass it on, ready for 'use.' 

How it works:  Below are blog posts dedicated to the part of the Helping Assembly Line. 

  Latest Ideas (for incoming and new)
  Ideas Being Explored
  Materials, Skills and Services:  any to offer?  here you go.
  Research:  Do it or Suggest a Resource
  Tasks:  Ask for help or offer help doing the small things
  Find a Local Partner or Corporate Partner:  for writers, strategists or those interested in giving it a shot
  Locate  a Local Agency/Connected with Locals:  Explore a local organization's current resources, ability to assume control of a project

  Making it Happen:  The Logistics 

Eventually, I'm happy to get a webspace and put up a website, but in view of ... um ... my rather inadequate webdesign skills, this'll do for now. 

For simplicity's sake, ideas are sorted into projects that feed and restore the Body, that feed and restore the Mind and projects that feed the SpiritCreative.  (Ha.  Just to trick you, I left off the 'restore' bit.  But if it does restore, all the better.)  Each project aims to deliver all the ingredients so that Katrina's victims or local agencies doing so much can take the project and use it right away.  As randmrealtease noted, we're aiming to "teach a man to fish." (well, at least give the guy the equipment to fish with.)

There are plenty of flaws in any one of the suggestions.  To point out the flaws ISN'T to shoot them down; on the contrary.  We have the ability to adjust, recover, repair the flaws.  Create the ideas from scratch. 

So, ideas already being explored or ideas tossed out:

The Body:   create gardens

The Mind:  sandyquill sandyquill's already researching what it will take for us to help get greeting cards made and marketed, using artwork by the children of Katrina. 

another idea is to use the wonderful photography by Mindsayers - photos of New Orleans - and match the photos with memories of the city.  meckman suggested a book of inspirational stories.

randmrealitease suggested creating a skills-matching bank, region by region

The Spirit/Creative:  music, music, music.  (sorry, I just know a lot of musicians.)  a musical instruments restoration project. 

make a cd of music/song/story BY katrina's survivors so they can sell it. 

There.  For now.

Got any?  Got one?  Something to share?  Someone you know who might be approached?  Post it here.

An assortment of tasks anyone can claim because, sometimes, it just needs someone to do something.