The following message about Hurricane Gustav relief effort preparations is being forwarded to the Temple Emanu-El congregation at the request of Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas. Dear Friends, As we all watch Hurricane Gustav bear down on the Gulf Coast, we wanted to update you on developments as Jewish Family Service prepares to again help hurricane evacuees, in whatever role becomes necessary. 1. Martha Blaine, Executive Director of the Community Council of Dallas, an emergency response coordinating organization, has already contacted us. During Hurricane Katrina, we worked closely with the Community Council to provide mental-health professionals and other volunteers to help at local shelters, even as we provided our full continuum of services to evacuees after they left the shelter. We are most pleased the Community Council has made us one of their first calls to again serve as a primary resource. 2. United Way has contacted us as well. They will serve as a referral resource for evacuees needing assistance. We have confirmed with them our availability to take on the same responsibility we assumed in the face of Hurricane Katrina, serving more than 6,000 evacuees in the immediate crisis and long-term aftermath. 3. Jewish Family Service is a member of the North Texas VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Assisting in Disaster) where we are represented by our board member Steve Rice. According to VOAD, as of this e-mail, it is expected that 4,100 evacuees will be bused to North Texas for shelter. It is estimated another 10,000 will come on their own. Should the storm hit Houston, these numbers will go up considerably. As a VOAD participant, we are part of a wide network of organizations that worked together to help Katrina evacuees and now stands ready to help again. 4. Should the storm hit Houston, Jewish Family Service in Houston will direct all calls to us, notifying people to contact us if they come to Dallas and need help. 5. Our office is closed today, Sunday, and our plans have been to close tomorrow, too, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. But we have already given special instructions to our answering service. Whenever our office is closed, one of our licensed social workers is always on call, available 24 hours/day. Our phone number is (972) 437-9950. Please remember this number as it is always your-and our entire community's-primary line to confidential, professional mental-health and social services, and personal or family guidance. 6. As New Orleans is being evacuated in advance, please let us know if you are aware of members of the Jewish community who are coming to Dallas. Should Houston be evacuated, please let us know of people from the Houston community as well. 7. Please note that Hurricane Gustav will stir deep feelings in everyone who was affected by Hurricane Katrina-whether evacuees who had returned to New Orleans, only to have to evacuate again; evacuees who have made their home in Dallas; or even the rest of us who worked closely as professionals and volunteers with those whose lives were upended by the storm three years ago. In particular, the trauma cannot be under-estimated for everyone who had to evacuate. It may be even more significant among vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with a mental or physical illness. Our counseling staff is available to provide crisis intervention services whenever needed. 8. While better prepared for Hurricane Gustav than Katrina concerning evacuations and shelters, the key variable after the storm will be how quickly people can return home. Many of the evacuees we worked with, even those who evacuated in a planned, timely way, could not return home for a very long time and needed help establishing themselves, even temporarily. As the extent of this situation becomes clear, we may again turn to the community for volunteers, donated goods (for use in Dallas or to be forwarded to other communities) and donated services. We want to be clear that we are NOT asking for this today. We know, based on our extraordinary experience three years ago, that we can count on people for their time and generosity if and when needed. 9. Finally, we want to share with you a phone call and two emails we recently received. The call came late Friday afternoon. One of the 6,000 evacuees from New Orleans we had helped previously phoned to say she remembered our kindness and support. Should her family need to come to Dallas in response to Hurricane Gustav, she asked, could they contact us for help? Our answer, of course, was an immediate "yes." In addition, we have received emails from two local synagogues offering to work with us in whatever way is needed. We sincerely appreciate the offers. Our collaborative efforts three years ago made a huge difference then and will serve us well now. We will keep you updated as the situation unfolds and we learn more about the role we will play in the coming days. Please forward this e-mail. Thank you, Jewish Family Service Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas 5402 Arapaho Road Dallas, Texas 75248 www.JFSdallas.org