View the video from on-site at the Compassionate Alliance site in Gulfport, MS.

See photos from Compassionate Alliance's main site in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Compassionate Alliance personnel, having been certified by the state of Florida to manage distribution sites following hurricane disasters, has been working with federal and local agencies in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, as well as with churches and other faith-based groups, to serve as a "bridge" provider for Gulf region disaster aid. At the main Compassionate Alliance distribution site in Gulfport, Mississippi, 203 truckloads were distributed and another 212 were diverted to other sites in the area, while 371 additional truckloads were managed and distributed for the country, bringing the total distribution for Hurricane Katrina to 786.     For Hurricane Rita, Compassionate Alliance managed and distributed 170 truckloads at four sites in Orange County, Texas. It is estimated that over 400,000 people received assistance as a direct result of Compassionate Alliance relief efforts. The associated press reported: "With promises of state and federal relief unanswered four days after Hurricane Rita, residents of the hardest hit Gulf Coast communities blame bureaucracy as they cope without power, fuel, water or sewers. Meanwhile, a steady stream of more than 100 cars and trucks snaked outside a shopping strip hammered by Hurricane Rita for supplies of food, water, and ice organized by the Compassionate Alliance, a Nixa, MO based private disaster assistance group also helped by church organizations and FEMA."     Compassionate Alliance has built good relationships and has plans for an ongoing presence in some of the hardest hit areas of the Gulf region. Local agencies and volunteers have been trained by Compassionate Alliance personnel and are now serving onsite with continued relief activities. Local government officials in Texas have asked Compassionate Alliance to return for a recognition benefit when relief work concludes.
October 1, 2005: Compassionate Alliance Continues Rita Response In the last six days, Compassionate Alliance has managed six sites in Orange County (Texas) and overseen the distribution of over 100 private and FEMA donated loads of food and supplies. According to an associated press story, one emergency management coordinator in the area stated, “we have been living like cavemen, sleeping in cars, doing bodily functions outside.” The story continues: “There were some signs of hope. In Orange, people converged in cars and trucks outside a shopping strip for water, food and ice supplied by the private disaster group Compassionate Alliance.” As was the case in the response to Hurricane Katrina, Compassionate Alliance was singled out as one of the first agencies to respond in the hardest hit area. Once again, the Florida State Emergency Response Team certification of Compassionate Alliance personnel in managing major PODs (points of distribution) enabled CA to receive favorable entrance into the neediest area immediately after the storm passed. Truckloads of supplies that had already been procured were cleared for delivery before any other agencies were up and running. September 25, 2005: Compassionate Alliance Serving Victims Impacted by Rita The disaster response team is now distributing water, ice, food and baby products to the people who took a direct hit from Hurricane Rita. The main point of distribution (POD) is in a shopping center on US 90 in the city of Orange, TX. This area is commonly known as the "Golden Triangle" which includes the communities of Orange, West Orange and Pinehurst. The county emergency office has asked Compassionate Alliance to open four other distribution sites in Bridge City, Vinton, Pinehurst and Pineforest. Several truckloads of supplies are on-site (as of today we have 17 semi-truck loads) and a supply line has been established bringing many other loads of necessary items to help the people who are now being allowed to return to their homes and businesses. Because of the downed trees and power lines, local people are having difficulty reaching their dwellings. However, in concert with local officials and the National Guard, Compassionate Alliance is providing the basic help that is needed. As Hurricane Rita occurred soon after Compassionate Alliance's response to Katrina, the resources of the ministry have been heavily taxed. Any gifts that could be sent to assist us in helping the people in Louisiana and Texas would be deeply appreciated. Many of Compassionate Alliance partners are preparing Disaster Buckets to help the victims of the storms as they begin to clean their homes of all the damage. A list of helpful items is available here. Please join our Bucket Brigade ! Your company, school and church group may find this an excellent way to have a "hands on" means to help our neighbors in the Gulf area. September 22, 2005 After delivering and distributing 212 semi-truck loads of relief supplies at its main distribution point in Gulfport, Mississippi for victims of Katrina, and distributing another 203 semi-truck loads to 15 other faith-based organizations, Compassionate Alliance now turns its attention to Hurricane Rita. Trucks loaded with water, ice, food and baby supplies are leaving today to converge on the hardest hit area when Rita reaches land. Once again Compassionate Alliance will be an initial responder. Hundreds of volunteers from scores of churches and civic entities are also poised to converge to supply the manpower for distribution. At the same time, hundreds of disaster buckets that have been collected from individuals, churches, and organizations are being shipped to the Gulf area for distribution to families. These contain cleaning supplies and hygiene kits that have been purchased by caring families and assembled into five-gallon buckets. For more information on Compassionate Alliance’s response to Hurricane Rita, and our continuing response to Hurricane Katrina, please contact our office. Compassionate Alliance continues to request your financial support and prayers. Thank you for partnering with us to minister to those in the Gulf area.
View the video from the Compassionate Alliance site in Gulfport, MS. Listen to an audio newscast about our relief work in Gulfport. September 9: On-site update and message from our president, Bob Houlihan WITH YOUR HELP, THE WORK CONTINUES. We are delivering Disaster Buckets and other supplies donated by businesses and generous individuals. Springfield Travel Agency, the Stamina Product Company, KADI and KWND FM in Springfield, MO, along with other groups from Ocala, Florida, and many others in the greater Springfield/Nixa area have helped us gather the cleaning supplies that people are needing immediately! These are God's heroes. They, along with scores of individual families have said, "We are going to help people clean their houses and make sure they have food to eat." Jesus said, "The work of the Father continues until now. And I myself am working." Friends, as you volunteer, send supplies, send offerings, and help people—you are continuing the work of the Lord. From the depths of my heart, thank you. Bob Houlihan, President See previous daily information of Compassionate Alliance's response to Katrina here. Anyone wishing to make a donation may do so via this site or by sending a check to Compassionate Alliance. Click on the photos above to see more photos from Gulfport
September 9: On-site update and message from our president, Bob Houlihan SEEING IS BELIEVING I just returned from Gulfport, MS, where Compassionate Alliance has distributed water, ice, food, toys, and medicines to well over 120,000 people in the last eight days. The Compassionate Alliance site is at the corner of Interstate 10 and 49th at the Crossroads Mall in Gulfport. Right now there are over 30 volunteers, 30 National Guardsmen and 16 semi-truckloads of supplies on the huge site which is well over 400 yards long and 100 yards wide. A steady stream of cars started eight days ago and has not ceased from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thousands of pounds of drinking water, ice, and MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) have been distributed daily to the people who have been devastated by Katrina. This has been the finest hour for Compassionate Alliance. Our staff has been leading scores of church and civic volunteers who are partnering with the National Guard in a seamless operation of helping tens of thousands of people who have lost everything because of the hurricane. I talked with families and how they were coping with their losses. Amazingly, many people have moved in with relatives or friends and are surviving. I didn't hear one person say that they wanted to leave the area. The strong Southern spirit in these people to overcome the devastation of this storm is evident everywhere. One family said they lost everything—house, their business, and several family members. They are Asian-American fishermen who were working off the coast supplying seafood for restaurants. Other family members didn't want to leave their boats, and thus lost everything—including their lives. Compassionate Alliance was able to supply the survivors with clothing, food and toys for their children—along with some medication to help alleviate some of their suffering. Americans are the most generous people on the face of the earth. Volunteers, along with their pastors, have set up kitchens at our site to feed people, and then led groups of people in small trucks to go to the hard reached places in the area. At the Compassionate Alliance main site, Baptists, community church people, Pentecostals and Methodists have joined together in partnership to help people know that God is on their side, and that He loves them.		Click on any photo above to see more photos from Gulfport

September 9

Compassionate Alliance continues to operate the largest distribution site in Mississippi. The site in Gulfport offers not only food, water, and ice, but also toys for children, hot meals as people come through, fresh fruit, diapers and baby food, as well as clean-up supplies and other needed commodities.

For over two weeks now Compassionate Alliance personnel have been procuring and distributing products, as well as organizing volunteers who have come to help. It is truly amazing to see the alliances that have been formed to accomplish this. Through these strategic relationships, Compassionate Alliance has partnered with churches from Illinois to Florida (who have sent people to help), hundreds of businesses have donated product, and military personnel who have been assigned to the area to be of service.

Trucks have also been sent into small towns where people have refused to evacuate. Clothing distribution points have been set up. The magnitude of the need is staggering, but the response has been so generous that everyone needing help has been attended to in one form or another.

We have learned of many Asian families in the area who have lost fishing boats and fishermen who would not leave their boats. Others have lost homes and livelihood, but there is no thought of giving up. The resilience of the people is exceeded only by the overwhelming expressions of gratitude for the blessings that are being brought to sustain them through this time. We continue to solicit your prayers and financial support.

September 6

Compassionate Alliance is now helping to supply 12 distribution sites in and around Gulfport, Mississippi. We have now distributed over 300 loads of water, ice, and other relief supplies, almost all of which have been procured from private sources. A church from North Carolina brought in cooking supplies and food. People coming through the main site in Gulfport are now receiving hot meals to take with them.

The Target Corporation has donated 2 truckloads of new ice chests and they are being given to families. Target also supplied a crew of personnel to help with distribution. While on the phone with Compassionate Alliance staff today a truck from Sanderson Farms came to the site with a load of ice. These are just a few examples of how Compassionate Alliance is providing needed relief supplies to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Our staff in Mississippi stated that the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) people have been surprised by the outpouring of compassion from so many private sources with whom Compassionate Alliance has developed relationships.

September 2

Compassionate Alliance is now running the largest and most functional distribution site in Mississippi. Our main site is located at the intersection of Interstate 10 and US Highway 49. In coordination with Mississippi’s National Guard, Compassionate Alliance has opened 5 new sites that were fully operational on Friday. Since Tuesday, the sites Compassionate Alliance is managing in conjunction with the National Guard have distributed over 85 loads of food, water, ice, and other relief supplies to over 100,000 families.

The main site in Gulfport serves as a distribution point for relief supplies as well as areas where people can receive counseling. CA is running kitchens and medical services and is serving as a base of operations for several organizations that are leading teams in both Mississippi and Louisiana. There is also an area for children with rides and fun activities. We have had many thousands of children use these activities, and so far it is a big success. CA has also distributed several truckloads of baby food and diapers to many families with infants and babies.

Chad Holgerson, CA staff from Nixa, has been working with MEMA (the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) several days before the Katrina hurricane unleashed her fury. Holgerson been placed in charge of all donations coming into Mississippi from both government agencies (including FEMA) and private donations. He is helping a variety of organizations like Operation Compassion, Southern Baptist Association, Feed the Children and independent churches get their sites set up and readied for distribution. He has told us he has helped place hundreds of loads and the need isn’t slowing down yet. CA’s greatest need right now is monetary donations to offset the costs of transportation and to purchase product. Compassionate Alliance is still accepting products such as baby food, diapers, wipes, and canned food. We have also have received word that one of the main needs in many areas in Mississippi and Louisiana are "flip-flops" shoes. Compassionate Alliance is also working with other groups in Springfield and Branson to help take care of the refugees in these areas. The biggest need for these individuals is baby formula. We have made arrangements to distribute this to refugees in our immediate area.

Please help us by generously donating to Compassionate Alliance's relief effort.

September 1

Compassionate Alliance is now operating the largest distribution site in southern Mississippi. Our staff are providing on-site leadership and direction for all Points of Distribution (PODs) in this area and are serving with the main distribution responsibility for southern Mississippi. We have been fortunate to help manage the distribution of over 200 loads of food and supplies and are helping coordinate all donations through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Because of the help and support from the National Guard and area volunteers, much aid has been given. Please prayerfully consider helping us facilitate the relief efforts by financially supporting Compassionate Alliance. Our staff in southern Mississippi also need your prayers for safety and strength.

See video of damage from WLBT in Jackson, Mississippi.