Serving the Honored Guests

October 15, 2005
Hurricane Relief Update

The San Francisco Bay Area Satsangs had the honor of "partnering" with the Fruitvale Elementary School in Oakland, CA to host a "Katrina Day of Relief" on Friday, Oct. 7th. This day was organized by the principal of the school, Ms. Cherie Ivey, whose generosity and compassion were truly an inspiration for those of us who volunteered.

Fruitvale Elementary has over 50 children from families displaced by the hurricanes who are now living in the Oakland area. Ms. Ivey organized an all-day "shopping spree" of donated items, free for those displaced families to take what they needed. As the planning of the event evolved, she realized that she could help more families than those whose children are attending her school, so she put the word out through local media that all displaced families from the Gulf states were welcome to come.

Satsang members donated new and used clothing, as well as toiletries, school supplies and gift cards to stores such as grocery, drug and discount stores etc. We also purchased 50 backpacks and placed school supplies in each one.

For several days before the event, satsang volunteers went to the school delivering carloads and vanloads of donated items, and helping to sort all the donated items in the auditorium that served as the "shopping mall". On the day of the event, approximately a dozen satsang members joined the school's staff and volunteers to welcome Ms. Ivey's "honored guests" to their shopping day. The simple grace with which these families thanked us was humbling. These people who had lost everything material, had not lost their faith, humor or dignity.

People came and went all day, only taking what they needed. Many remarked that they wanted to make sure others had a chance to have something. It was so moving to talk with them, and to help them in any small way we could. Some satsang members assisted individual people in finding items they needed, others folded and re-folded clothing as people looked through the sorted piles for items in their size. Others helped the guests find the areas where their needs could be met - everything from baby clothing to diapers to men's and women's clothing, shoes, hats, purses, toys, mountains of school supplies, etc.

Ms Ivey's compassion reminded us all of our own beloved Amma, as she attempted to mother all these people who had found their way from their Southern homes to Ms Ivey's neighborhood. We all agreed that we want to invite Ms. Ivey, as OUR "honored guest", to meet Amma in November.

Gujarat Video