From a feeling of deep concern and in the spirit of laulima(many hands) and kokua (caring), I feel moved to create a clearinghouse for practical information and a place to facilitate the organization of small, somewhat autonomous groups of families and friends for disaster planning.

I call these small groups "Care Clusters" and hope that in the event of a disaster they will serve as temporary communes and places of refuge that enable people to share their resources and skills effectively, because they will have been organized to do so IN ADVANCE. I also hope that these "clusters" can become outreach vehicles for people who may have less of whatever is needed. This kind of small group organization could be used anywhere, San Francisco, Hawai'i...

Here in the Bay Area, for all our progressiveness, we are still largely segregated on the basis of race, economic status, culture (look at all our hip culture "Tribes!"), etc. and those of us with "some" or "more" are not often thinking of those with "even less." I am haunted by the idea that here, as in New Orleans, a massive disaster will result in a far larger amount of suffering among those with "even less."

So, please come join this tribe and apply your awareness and energy to the problem(s) of local community organizing and disaster planning. You'll be warmly welcomed.

Amy