Emergency service personnel line up to get their tetanus inoculations at the Scientology Volunteer Minister tent

Donations are needed to support the relief efforts to transport people, for food, water, toiletries, clothing, medical supplies, sleeping bags etc. The Scientology Mission of Baton Rouge has set up a PayPal account you can use to donate for this cause. Any help you can give is appreciated.

Volunteer Ministers providing food, water and trauma relief to rescue workers and evacuees in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Memphis and Houston

In Memphis, Volunteer Ministers have been working with Red Cross officials to process the increasing numbers of evacuees pouring in from Louisiana, while in Houston they were given charge of a station in the Astrodome and have been distributing water to evacuees. They are also continuing to arrange for tetanus vaccines to be given to rescue workers laboring in the appallingly unsanitary conditions caused by Hurricane Katrina.

An evacuee who, with his family, had been housed in a shelter in Lafayette run by Volunteer Ministers commented, "This center has been the best and I almost don't want to leave. I can't thank you enough and will always remember this."

The Volunteer Ministers have also been ministering "assists" to both emergency rescue personnel and Hurricane Katrina survivors. A national guardsman who received an assist commented, "I don't know what you did for me, but I've never felt like this." A city official said after an assist, "Boy did I need that. I feel wonderful and refreshed. I had no idea that this is what you guys did on top of everything else I've seen you do."

If you can help with donations or wish to volunteer time, call (323) 960-1949 or (800) 435-7498 or e-mail vm@volunteerministers.org

Setting up tables so that assists can be given to the many people who have been working day and night to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina	Scientology assists are given to help relax and relieve the hard-working service personnel on the scene	Scientology Volunteer Ministers work alongside other volunteer organizations and religious groups to prepare meals for those in the relief centers	Volunteer Ministers work with the police to see that their men and women get care

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

Contact the Scientology Disaster Response Team at the number above. You'll need a sleeping bag and air mattress. Someone is assigned to handling logistics on the ground and they have locations where people can sleep, you just need to bring something to sleep in and on. The weather is very hot (102°F), so bring summer clothes. Both the Lafayette and Baton Rouge airports are open and people can fly into them. If you are driving, bring as much drinking water as you can. In Baton Rouge the water is fine but the disaster areas and shelters need more water.