View Full Version : Survivors have arrived in Philadelphia
Linda7NJ
09-08-2005, 08:58 AM
When I first heard they were coming, I was thrilled and looking forward to driving there and helping out. Rumor had it they would be staying in Center City or the Navy Yard.
Well, they placed them in an abandoned middle school in North Philly! For those of you not familiar with North Philly, let me tell you, it's a terrible, crime ridden ghetto, notorious for drug dealers & gangs, shooting all the time, murder rate is astronomical. It's the kind of place where no one wants to live.
I was wondering if the other states that took in survivors placed them in the worst areas or are they staying someplace decent and relatively safe?
I won't be going to North Philly.
Ours are going to an unused base on Cape Cod if they come. I don't know of any bad areas of Cape Cod. We were told to prepare for 500 and did (teddy bears and all), then told we might not get any evacuees. I'm glad my state stepped up, but I am also glad we might not house any evacuees. We're a long way from LA.
less0305
09-08-2005, 09:35 AM
Our evacuees are staying at the City Coliseum, which is host to many state and local sporting events, national sporting events, musical concerts, hockey, etc. It's a beautiful building with great facilities.
SieSie
09-08-2005, 12:09 PM
Michigan was supposed to receive about 300 people (I think), but I haven't heard yet if we actually got the people, and if so, where they were placed. I, too, am very curious about this.
Marstan
09-08-2005, 12:15 PM
We are getting some families today in our little Arizona town. Will see where they will put them. I plan on paying a month's rent for a family. Perhaps helping set them up.
According to our local paper in NJ , the city of perth amboy is renovating an abandoned apartment complex to house 100 refugges familes. While this may not be the finest area its by far not the worst either.
mjak
Linda7NJ
09-08-2005, 12:19 PM
According to our local paper in NJ , the city of perth amboy is renovating an abandoned apartment complex to house 100 refugges familes. While this may not be the finest area its by far not the worst either.
mjak
How odd! I live in South Jersey and heard nothing about it!
NJ is such a small state who would imagine such a gap between news flowing north to south?
How odd! I live in South Jersey and heard nothing about it!
NJ is such a small state who would imagine such a gap between news flowing north to south?
I have lived in both North and South Jerrsey and I can tell you the communication lines leave a lot to be desired. It Trully is bizzare. It was the Asbury Park Press which ran this article on its front page. The AP has now picked the story up and if you google perth amboy hurricane it comes up. I too would be much to afraid to go help out in North Philly!!
mjak
amandab
09-08-2005, 12:47 PM
Michigan was supposed to receive about 300 people (I think), but I haven't heard yet if we actually got the people, and if so, where they were placed. I, too, am very curious about this.
SieSie-
A few families are here. My sister has a website here (http://www.homewrought.com/families.html) with information about them, though it needs to updated. As of last night both families had received more donations than they knew what to do with.
Details
09-08-2005, 02:11 PM
When I first heard they were coming, I was thrilled and looking forward to driving there and helping out. Rumor had it they would be staying in Center City or the Navy Yard.
Well, they placed them in an abandoned middle school in North Philly! For those of you not familiar with North Philly, let me tell you, it's a terrible, crime ridden ghetto, notorious for drug dealers & gangs, shooting all the time, murder rate is astronomical. It's the kind of place where no one wants to live.
I was wondering if the other states that took in survivors placed them in the worst areas or are they staying someplace decent and relatively safe?
I won't be going to North Philly.In San Diego, we have 600 staying at SDState University - and at least some people saying they don't like it because they're all criminals and thugs and the students shouldn't be exposed (on the other board I read which does have some real nutcases) - I suspect this feeling, fed by the reports of what happened during the disaster, may be leading to the refugees being put in isolated or bad areas. I've heard of at least one other group being placed somewhere very, very isolated.
Mabel
09-08-2005, 02:43 PM
Michigan was supposed to receive about 300 people (I think), but I haven't heard yet if we actually got the people, and if so, where they were placed. I, too, am very curious about this.
3 families are at the Best Western Inn in Sterling Hts - not bad accomodations at all. 200 evacuues are at the Ramada Inn in Southfield, also a nice place. If you go to ClickonDetroit.com you can see what they're looking for in the way of donations - clothing sizes and hygiene products.
Michigan offered to take as many as 10,000 people at the Fort Custer Training center in Battle Creek but, as far as I know, that offer hasn't yet been accepted. It's also a decent area, my husband trained there years ago.
EDIT: Oh, I see from Amanda's post that almost 300 evacuees have arrived in Battle Creek, no word if more are expected.
Casshew
09-08-2005, 05:02 PM
It's the kind of place where no one wants to live.
. Yikes. Any port in a storm as the saying goes.. is that what officials are thinking?? or maybe New Orleans was just as bad as N/ Philly?
I just don't know what to think - old expressions keep coming into my heald like 'beggers can;t be choosers' but all of these survivors have rights and their country needs to look after them to the best of their ability. I hope they are okay in that less than desireable location. :(
Boy, once they got moving, they got quite a lot of them relocated in a relatively short period of time.
Linda, Is Northy Philly the area across the Deleware and opposite Camden?
mjak
Linda7NJ
09-08-2005, 06:16 PM
Linda, Is Northy Philly the area across the Deleware and opposite Camden?
mjakClose, but to the right and way down Broad Street going away from Center City area. It's very simular to North Camden ( Walt Whitman Bridge area)
HORRID!!
Close, but to the right and way down Broad Street going away from Center City area. It's very simular to North Camden ( Walt Whitman Bridge area)
HORRID!!
Thats what I thought. How in the world do they expect these people to take care of themselves in that place?????? Those poor people.
mjak
chiefs_fan_4life
09-09-2005, 12:22 AM
According to my local weekly paper, there are 100 evacuees headed from Jonesboro, AR to Mo-Ark Christian Camp in Naylor, MO. They will have to pass through my town to get to Naylor. I live in a very small town of 3,500--1 hour from Jonesboro, AR and 20 minutes from Naylor, MO. Christian Camp is located waaaaaay out in the boondocks on a long gravel road. I know most of the people will still be content with a bed to sleep in and a roof over their heads, but I'm telling you, this is a very secluded area. I don't know how long they'll be there, but some of them (probably having lived in much bigger towns or cities) may not like it for long since the nearest BIG town is Poplar Bluff, MO-population less than 17,000.
It might sound stupid for me to say this, but there's just nobody for them to interact with...no civilization. I know my cell phone loses its signal down that road. I just feel sorry for them to have to be further out in the boonies. At least we have a community center here in Corning, which would give the displaced kids something to do after school. Oh yeah, and we have an old time Wal Mart (no supercenter allowed in this town). :)
tybee204
09-09-2005, 12:28 AM
They have relocated 5000 evacuee's to a church camp in Oklahoma out in the middle of now where as well. Miles from anytown. No Cell Phone service. It is strange to hear of evacuation camps where people are held behind fences by armed National Guardsman. I have to wonder where the children in those camps are going to school?
txsvicki
09-09-2005, 12:45 AM
Here in my town some are staying way outside of town on the old air force base which is now a college campus. A friend had to go out there and said police are everywhere, checking id's of people entering, and the place is no where near a store or anything. I hate the local papers and news so I don't know if buses are running out there now for them or how they are getting around. I know there was some complaining about the Catholic church taking some in a small town close to here and it is supposedly not up to standards for the people.
tybee204
09-09-2005, 01:17 AM
It is almost like they are detainee's rather then American Citizens.
SieSie
09-09-2005, 11:06 AM
SieSie-
A few families are here. My sister has a website here (http://www.homewrought.com/families.html) with information about them, though it needs to updated. As of last night both families had received more donations than they knew what to do with.
Thanks for the link, Amanda!! Glad to know our state is helping.
Here in my town some are staying way outside of town on the old air force base which is now a college campus. A friend had to go out there and said police are everywhere, checking id's of people entering, and the place is no where near a store or anything. I hate the local papers and news so I don't know if buses are running out there now for them or how they are getting around. I know there was some complaining about the Catholic church taking some in a small town close to here and it is supposedly not up to standards for the people.
Txsvicki, I think we live in the same town- We had 412 at an old air force base 6 miles from the city limits, over a hundred have reunited with their family members and moved on. There was a chuch in the small town where I work that tried to help but put 14 people into a small 2 bedroom house with no a/c. The evacuees called 911 and were taked to the AFB. They do have police checking ID's etc. to get onto the AFB property but from my understanding it is for the safety and comfort of the people-they don't want them to feel like a side show for the circus. Citibus has moved routes out to the base and has been transporting them free of charge and took them on a 3 hour tour of town, the kids are all enrolled in school with buses picking them up. They city set up a job fair today at the base just for the evacuees and have held special concerts just for them. They also moved our 9/11 tribute out to the base to also honor the evacuees that we have here. I'm sure it isn't anything like having your own house to go home to but from what I've seen I'm proud of the way that our town handled it.
txsvicki
09-09-2005, 11:06 PM
Txsvicki, I think we live in the same town- We had 412 at an old air force base 6 miles from the city limits, over a hundred have reunited with their family members and moved on. There was a chuch in the small town where I work that tried to help but put 14 people into a small 2 bedroom house with no a/c. The evacuees called 911 and were taked to the AFB. They do have police checking ID's etc. to get onto the AFB property but from my understanding it is for the safety and comfort of the people-they don't want them to feel like a side show for the circus. Citibus has moved routes out to the base and has been transporting them free of charge and took them on a 3 hour tour of town, the kids are all enrolled in school with buses picking them up. They city set up a job fair today at the base just for the evacuees and have held special concerts just for them. They also moved our 9/11 tribute out to the base to also honor the evacuees that we have here. I'm sure it isn't anything like having your own house to go home to but from what I've seen I'm proud of the way that our town handled it.
Yes, we must live in the same town. Thanks for telling me. I didn't know about the 911 tribute and concerts. I did see the newpaper today and how evacuees from the base are really pleased. Most will move on to other places to join family, one couple who plan to stay has already been given an apartment, the tour helped bolster one man who can't locate his wife yet, and how many citizens here are donating airline tickets so that people can get to their families in other places. I'm glad those people got out of the unairconditioned place. It's way too hot here to have no a/c. Do you know where they are staying on the base, I didn't get that info from our friend who works for the city?
Do you know where they are staying on the base, I didn't get that info from our friend who works for the city?
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, I'm mainly online at work, my computer at home is a dinosaur. They have them in an airconditioned plane hanger and in the meeting rooms of the buildings.
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