Mississippi Hurricane Relief Group Asks for Books and Toys; WGBH-Boston Makes First Gift

SEPT. 2, 2005 | A coalition is collecting books and toys for Mississippi young children driven to shelters by Hurricane Katrina and for early care and education programs in the disaster area that must rebuild; WGBH, a Boston radio station, made the first donation, sending a shipment of educational materials. A

“We expect to transport a million pounds of educational materials,” said Cathy Grace, Ed.D., professor and director of the Early Childhood Institute at Mississippi State University.

The coalition is soliciting financial support and a wide variety of age-specific educational materials that will be distributed this fall as part of a campaign dubbed, “Hurricane Relief: Embrace Mississippi Children.” (Click here to help.) The coalition includes the Early Childhood Institute and Mississippi Extension Service, both programs of Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the Mississippi Early Childhood Association.

The Early Childhood Institute of Mississippi State University is launching the collaborative effort to help thousands of children displaced and traumatized in the deadly and disruptive path of Hurricane Katrina. First United Methodist Church in Tupelo, Mississippi, will process donations of goods as well as monetary gifts.

Explaining why the church volunteered to serve as a repository and fiscal agent for the drive, the Rev. Bill McAlilly said, "First United Methodist Church has a heart for children and we want to facilitate ministry and recovery as quickly as possible."

Campaign volunteers initially will target young hurricane victims now housed in disaster relief shelters across Mississippi for the delivery of zip-lock, start-up packets chocked full of such items as books, puzzles, dolls and age-specific educational toys.

Grace said the longer-range effort will focus on some 300-400 licensed child care centers and an undetermined number of family child care homes destroyed or otherwise adversely impacted by Katrina in a 35-county area of Mississippi south of Interstate 20.

With the cost of materials estimated at $300-500 per classroom for the child care centers, some housing up to 20 classrooms each, the program’s value in cash contributions and donated items could range into the millions of dollars. Support will be sought from a variety of public and private sources--including church groups, corporations, social agencies, campus Greeks, American Red Cross and the Girl Scouts.

“Tens of thousands of children in Mississippi probably were affected by Hurricane Katrina,” said Grace. “Hopefully, this effort will help these children achieve some degree of normalcy in their lives. It’s so unnerving from an adult standpoint, just imagine how traumatizing it must be from a child’s perspective.

“Their lives have been turned upside down,” she added. “If they can see a familiar book or a familiar toy, they can feel like something is right again—and that can start them on a healing process.”

Sponsors already onboard for the hurricane relief campaign in addition to the ECI include the Mississippi State University Extension Service, MSU’s department of human sciences, Mississippi Public Broadcasting Network, Mississippi United Methodist Church and the Mississippi Early Childhood Association. Other sponsors are being sought. Special events and activities also are planned to help generate support for the effort.

An initial warehouse site for storage of materials will be located in Tupelo, where the First United Methodist Church will help distribute the materials. Assistance also is being sought from the Jackson-based Catholic Charities and Episcopal Diocese.

“As we watch continuing coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the related flooding, it is important to remember that young children may be especially affected by disasters,” Grace emphasized. “Families and others who care for young children need to provide comfort, reassurance and stability.”


 

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Updated 11/22/2006