Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement -- People's Hurrican Relief Fund

Story Collection

PHRF staff and volunteers are going door to door in communities with large numbers of survivors to collect their stories and encourage their participation and leadership.

We need donations of video cameras, cameras and tape recorders for this purpose. We also need volunteers, particularly people of color, who can come down South.

A Call For Solar Power!

There is still no power in some parts of New Orleans, particularly parts of the mid city area and the 9th ward. In order to start the People's Hurricane Relief Fund & Oversight Coalition (PHRF) New Orleans Communication Center, we sent a call out for solar energy.

During the first week of October, PHRF was fortunate to receive two portable solar generators from a team of electricians.

Driving all the way down from North Carolina, this team demonstrated to us how to use the solar panels and the enormous benefits of using solar energy.

These panels have made it possible for PHRF staff and volunteers to operate in New Orleans as they have been able to operate computers, recharge phone batteries and have light at night time.

The New Orleans Communication Center is currently in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, in the mid city area.

This predominately African American neighborhood is anchored by St. Anthony's Church, and includes housing complex, a childcare center and Bell Middle School as well as two halfway houses.

In addition to housing staff and volunteers, the Communication Center serves as a meeting place and organizing ground for folks to gather in.

PHRF is working to raise $4,000 to pay for these solar panels.

We would like to raise these funds by the end of November.

Moreover, as we expand our work to other parts of the city, we would like to be able to provide air conditioning, hook up freezers, refrigerators, and other electrical equipment so that homes and possibly schools can function as a community centers. We calculate that we will need to raise anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 dollars to purchase solar panels, inverters, distribution panels, current meters, wire and pipe.

If PHRF is able to raise these funds, the electrician team has offered to return and volunteer their time again to work with the community to install and maintain the equipment.

You can help in several ways:

Pass this email onto others who will be supportive.
Write a tax deductible check to the:
Vanguard Foundation
383 Rhode Island Street, Ste. 301
San Francisco, CA, 94103.
PLEASE INDICATE THAT YOU WANT THIS MONEY EARMARKED FOR THE SOLAR ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT.
If you know folks who are involved in solar generation, or have access to solar equipment, please ask them to make available to us solar panels. If they can donate them, that is wonderful. If they can sell them, we'll purchase them with the funds raised through this appeal. There is a severe shortage of solar panels and this project cannot proceed without them.

Thanks so much for everyone's work and support!