Words From the Texas Coast

Several days after Hurricane Ike's landfall, Convoy of Hope is actively working to help meet the needs of victims in locations such as Cleveland, Houston and Port Arthur, Texas, after the 500-mile wide storm tore through the state this weekend.

Convoy of Hope established its first Point of Distribution (POD) in the Port Arthur area. Opening at noon, Sunday, more than 500 vehicles and another 300 walk-ups were served by 4 p.m.

Another POD will open in Houston on Wednesday. Today, Convoy of Hope is working with local partners and actively assessing damage in Beaumont and Orange, Texas. Requests for help are also coming from Houma, Louisiana and nearby communities. We anticipate providing additional relief supplies to affected parts of Louisiana as well.

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More than 2.2 million homes remain without power. Some areas are predicted to remain without power for up to eight weeks. The strain and the pressure this puts on families is beyond measure. President Bush has declared 29 Texas counties major disaster areas. Hurricane Ike's area of impact is being compared to the size of New York State, affecting the fourth largest population center in the United States.

Your gifts, large or small, are what enable Convoy of Hope to respond.

To date, Convoy of Hope's Hurricane Ike response in Texas is as follows:
• Relief supplies distributed: 12 truckloads, 469,000 lbs., valued at $396,000
• Communities helped: Port Arthur, Houston

"Convoy of Hope relief teams are also on the ground in Haiti and Cuba, where thousands are receiving help," said Hal Donaldson, President of Convoy of Hope. "This is all being done on the heels of distributing $1 million worth of aid in Louisiana following Hurricane Gustav."

With ongoing hurricane relief efforts in Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the United States, you can best help by making cash donations to assist with our efforts here in the United States and around the world. Won't you extend your compassion to desperate people in the United States and around the world? By making a secure online donation,you are having a seven-fold impact on desperate, hurting families.

Corporate and private partnerships allow Convoy of Hope to multiply every donated dollar to about $7 of actual relief product; $6,000 can fill a tractor-trailer with relief product, serving upwards of 7,000 people.

Thank you for your compassion! Thank you for your efforts in helping hurting people around the world! Your donation will have an impact!