|
|
The Daily Disasters that Go Unnoticed. I read these headlines early Sunday morning, February 11th. Mother, Four Children Die Trying To Stay Warm Report from NBC10.com in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA -- An early-morning fire killed a mother and her four children on Sunday in a West Philadelphia row home where they appeared to be seeking temporary shelter to get out of the cold, fire officials said. On Monday, investigators who said the mother appeared to be using an illegal electrical connection to space heat an area of the abandoned home were still working to release an exact cause of the fire……. In my 20+ years in this industry I have spent a lot time thinking about basic human needs to be met during times of disaster. Early this day I was overcome with emotions as I reflected on the disaster of one family trapped in poverty without the resources to break the cycle. My mind quickly jumped to our profession—filled with individuals trained to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to “possible” emergencies and disasters. What a resource to help fight the daily disasters in our own communities! For the past few years I have envisioned a grassroots movement of people who would expand their lives to make “Room for One More”. What would this look like? At the core it is about education and mentoring. It may involve fostering a child, becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister--possibly “adopting” an entire family. Each of us is different in our capacity to add one more. The key is personal involvement through education and mentoring. It is both academic and practical. Above all, it is a commitment that says “You are part of my world. I will be there for you. I will work to help you solve the challenges in your life”. In the weeks to come, our web home page www.disaster-resource.com will have an ongoing spotlight focused on people and organizations who demonstrate this one-to-one involvement. If you have stories or ideas, be sure to send them to me at publisher@disaster-resource.com My husband Tommy and I want to make room for one more. We aren’t sure what this means for our two middle school children and us. But, we’ll keep you posted. Will you join us? Kathy Gannon Rainey
|
