While supplies are unloaded, Tom Steiner, head of the relief operations for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, speaks with a youth in McLain.

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.

Hearing that Biloxi and Gulfport had not yet received relief, a team of fifty Volunteer Ministers headed to Mississippi where they distributed food and supplies to survivors.

As one Volunteer Minister described the scene, “As we drove into Biloxi, it was just horrific, the coastal area is completely devastated. I saw one church standing but all the other buildings were flattened. I’m so glad we’re here. These people in the shelters really need assistance.”

In Gulfport the Volunteer Ministers found people with serious medical situations and a shortage of medical personnel to help them. Working with the National Guard, the Volunteer Ministers evacuated the most serious cases. They then went door to door through the town, finding out what people needed, and providing it.

Fourteen days after 155 MPH winds hit McLain, Mississippi, the town still had no power and only a few homes had water. As a result, a Volunteer Minister team from Baton Rouge, Louisiana headed by Tom Steiner drove there with a truck filled with supplies, which they distributed to people in McLain.

One thing the Volunteer Ministers are finding is that most people need help with the trauma from the hurricane and what they have experienced since. To help the people of the area with this, Volunteer Ministers have been giving assist to the survivors to help get them in shape to put their lives back together. Anyone can learn these simple procedures to help themselves, their friends or their loved ones. Click here to learn how.

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

A Volunteer Minister truck arriving at the distribution point in McLain, Mississippi.	Scientology Volunteer Ministers unloading supplies from the truck upon arrival in Gulfport, Mississippi.	People arrive to collect supplies brought by the Volunteer Ministers.	While supplies are unloaded, Tom Steiner, head of the relief operations for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, speaks with a youth in McLain.

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.