Disaster resources

Flood waters from Hurricane Katrina cover streets in New Orleans, Louisiana. Up to 25,000 refugees from hurricane-flooded New Orleans could be moved 565 kilometers (350 miles) to the Astrodome stadium in Houston, Texas, a Houston official confirmed(AFP/POOL/Vincent Laforet)

From Amanda West of the National Main Street Center:

We know we are all thinking of New Orleans at this time and the tremendous cost of life and property that has occured. We have just put up on the National Main Street website a listing of flood disaster resources, which are accessible to all web visitors, not just our Network Members. Please pass any along to those you think could use them.

For those of you wondering about the 2006 National Main Streets Conference, we are still committed at this time to having it there, but it all depends on the state of our chosen hotel, which is on Canal Street in the downtown. We, like you, are waiting to see what happens. We feel personally that our dedication to the communities and people of New Orleans, and of Main Street Louisiana to keep the conference there if we are able to logistically to do so. It could be a tremendous opportunity to talk about Heritage Resources in a different context. It could also be an chance for a different kind of conference with main streeters lending a hand to local Main Street communities through work trips, instead of tours. But, time will tell if it will be possible.

The National Trust is also formulating a response to the disaster and is organizing different ways we can assist. We will keep you posted on those developments as well. There will be additional messages forthcoming. Our Main Street network seems small at a time like this. Like you all I'm sure, we are keeping everyone in those communities our thoughts.