Remembering Hurricane Katrina, The Garage Mission That Keeps Giving!

Remember Hurricane Katrina? There was a project I proposed to the City of Cleveland Heights to collect clothing for the hurricane survivors. I was given a week and I offered my garage for storage.

While this project was in effect The Community Improvement Awards Ceremony was approaching. I received an award. Unexpectedly I received another award from Mayor Kelley, a certificate of appreciation for the Katrina Project.

On that same evening the project was extended for an additional three weeks, which allowed us to  collect wallets for people to carry identification. I asked the people of Cleveland Heights to write words of encouragement on plain index cards to let the survivors know that we cared about them.

The project grew very rapidly and the support and participation from the people of Cleveland Heights was incredible. We were given the use of the Food Co-op building to hold the amount of donations because it was more than my garage could handle.

Since that project my neighbors, friends and I continue to have garage missions. We collect clothing for the City Mission and Battered Womens Shelter. We collect scraps of cloth for the animal shelters too.

Maybe you can have a garage mission that keeps on giving. This project is very effective during spring and fall cleanup seasons. I find projects like this really keeps your neighborhood connected because it is a neighborhood effort.

Tip for tea: green tea, amaretto syrup, apple cherry juice, twist of lime and a fresh sprig of chocolate mint from the herb garden. Have a great day!