As residents of the U.S. Gulf Coast struggle to deal with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, AmeriCares response teams are in Mississippi to assess the most important needs of the hundreds of thousands of people affected.
"We are readying relief shipments containing cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products and other materials," said Christoph Gorder, AmeriCares vice president. "Thanks to generous donations from our many corporate partners who have already stepped forward to assist with this relief effort."
Hurricane Katrina has been causing damage since late last week, when it hit the southern tip of Florida on Thursday as a category one storm. By the time it roared into Louisiana early Monday morning it had become a category four hurricane with winds of 145 miles per hour. The death toll is rising, and the Bush administration has declared the area a public health emergency.