Sorry I have not posted in a few but it has been all about the hurricane evacuees since Katrina hit and the levee breeched .Getting supplies and taking them to places .Helping order huge amounts of other things .Our local Wal-mart is about wiped out of everything ,which is awesome .My mother-in-law and I went shopping yesterday to get some supplies and everyone we ran into was doing the same thing .I was so proud of America,Houston,our community and in humankind in general .Being right here and seeing these people first hand just makes your heart break for them .Especially at the Astrodome .There are sooooooo many people .They are all over around outside the dome as well .Just hanging out in parking lots and stuff with nothing to do .Guppy,Nicole( a friend from work ) and I are going to go volunteer up at the Astrodome today .Man I pray for strength to do so ....I so hope I do not break down emotionally in front of these people .I am so thankful to God for sparing so many lives though .a lot of these people have nothing but their lives but that is a great place to start .I also wanted to update you all on some things Wal-mart is NOW doing .I got into a debate in the shoutbox right before the hurricane hit with someone that was trashing my company ( Wal-Mart) saying that they were evil,terrible to the community,their employees and so on .She was calling them Satan's five and Dime .Needless to say I took great offense to this .I have been with Wal-Mart for 12 years now and have seen the MANY MANY things that Wal-Mart has done for the community,the US the WORLD for that matter and I thought I would share with all of you what I know for a fact they have been doing here lately ...not from the media ...but fist hand within the company .
Wal-Mart has now donated 17 Million dollars to Red Cross for the relief efforts .
They have donated a semi truck full of food and water to Mississippi,Alabama,and Louisiana.Along with 9 trucks of water .
They have taken in Wal-Mart associates that lost their store and houses .( Our store alone has 10 people that came from New Orleans working temporarily ).Through its Associate Disaster Relief Fund, the company will also give displaced associates immediate funds for shelter, food, clothing and other necessities.
Our store alone ( and we are only one amongst thousands of stores) Has donated over $10,000 worth of supplies so far .We have "adopted" a church shelter to keep
supplied.
Also, Wal-Mart will establish mini-Wal-Mart stores in areas impacted by the hurricane. Items such as clothing, diapers, baby wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free of charge to those with a demonstrated need.
AND....The
Emergency Contact Service has been created in our stores and on the Internet to allow Wal-Mart associates and customers to post messages regarding their well-being on our websites for their families and friends to see .
The person in the shoutbox would not believe me now matter how much I tried to tell her that Wal-Mart is a great company that is full of very caring and compassionate people .Me, being a part of the Wal-Mart family for 12 years, can not see how others can think so badly about what Wal-mart does for the community but I guess I am bias .
Everyone have a great weekend and be so very thankful for what you have .
If there is anyone that lives close to the Houston area that would like to help the Dome is in serious need of this help .There are thousands and thousands of people living in one area and it is getting so tough .Thank you :)
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