In an effort to combat the numbers of displaced survivors of Hurricane Katrina, LIFE for Relief and Development has pledged more than $1 million in vouchers to retail stores, housing and food.
LIFE has partnered with the Islamic Circle of North America to provide 100 families affected by the hurricane with housing and food. Fifty of these families will be housed in Baton Rouge and the other 50 will be housed in Houston, Texas. LIFE will pay for rent, utilities and food for these families, an endeavor that will cost about $100,000 per month.
In addition, LIFE's goal is to provide 4,000 internally displaced families in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and also in Michigan with vouchers to be spent at local retailers. These vouchers will be worth $250 each. In addition, LIFE will provide non-perishable food items, water bottles and toiletries to local food banks to be distributed nationally.
One thousand of these families will be from the Muslim community in Louisiana as identified by local Masjids. Another 1,000 families will be identified in Battle Creek and the Metro Detroit area in Michigan. In Mississippi, vouchers will be given to 1000 families taking refuge in the Jackson area and in Texas, 1,000 families in Houston will receive these vouchers.
LIFE is also planning several events in the Metro Detroit area to support hurricane survivors. On September 16, 2005, LIFE in coordination with the Unity Center, Al Tawheed Center, Muslim Center of Detroit and ICI is holding a fundraising dinner at the Unity Center. Admission is free. On September 30, 2005, LIFE along with the Congress of Arab American Organizations will be holding a fundraising dinner at Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn. Admission is $50 per person and all proceeds will benefit the survivors.
In its first phase, LIFE has mobilized its response team and ordered cash vouchers from Meijer retail store to be distributed to the survivors of the hurricane in Michigan. However, the situation has deteriorated further and therefore, families originally thought to be displaced temporarily may need assistance for months. It is our estimate, that in order to provide such care LIFE must pledge more than $1 million dollars and has joined the Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force, which has collectively pledged at least $10 million in relief aid.