Funny how things happen.

While in the checkout line at Target, a very friendly woman approached me to tell me how much she loved my earrings.
“They’re very egyptian. They look beautiful with your outfit, you just look so exotic.”
There was really no point in telling you THE ENTIRE COMPLIMENT, other than to let The Internet know that someone called me “exotic.”
I told her I got them right there from Target! Because, you know, I can’t afford to buy from the expensive jewelery stores with three kids.
That led to a conversation about how you really never have “enough money” to have kids, but, everything always works out. I told her that when I found out I was pregnant with the beautiful little girl who was waving at her, that we had absolutely NO MONEY and how I panicked.
“God KNEW you needed her, though.”
She then begin to tell me how she just got back from San Antonio, working with victims of Katrina as a nurse. She told me of a woman she cared for who lost her husband, is about ready to have a baby and has absolutely nothing.
My heart broke.
“I want to help her” I blurted out.
“I’ll give you her cell phone number, you can call her and ask her what she needs.”
I rushed home, grabbed the phone, took a few deep breaths and dialed the number. As soon as she answered, I started to cry. I introduced myself and told her I wanted to help her. She told me she doesn’t have ANYTHING for the new baby that is about to be born. Her kids don’t have anything.
From what Kim (the nurse that I met) told me, there are thousands of evacuees that are being completely ignored. She was angry. SO VERY ANGRY. She said it’s unbelievable what’s going on. She’s called the mayor and the LA Times because she wants everyone to know what’s really happening and how the people who “aren’t at the Atrodome with Oprah and the reporters” are being completely overlooked and are in great need.
That’s why I am going to do what I can to help Stacey. That’s the woman’s name. I have her phone number and now I have her PO Box number. If you’d like to help her, please, PLEASE email me and I’ll give you the address where you can send things to. She needs baby items (again, she has NOTHING) she also needs clothes (size 16) as well as clothes for her children (girl, size 7, boy, size 8).
I have been crying ever since I first heard this woman’s voice.
I feel blessed to be able to help her. If you’d like to help too, just leave a comment or email me.
(this is one of those posts that will have to go unedited because Gabby is awake and I shouldn’t even be on this computer, but I had to write about this. I had to.)

28 thoughts on “Funny how things happen.

  1. NinaKaye

    This stuff makes me so sad. I really don’t have anything to give her to help her out, but does she know if she’s having a boy or girl? I might be able to help out with a few baby clothes or blankets or something.

  2. suzie

    does she know the sex of her baby? i was more than overwhelmed by generous gifts and have newborn clothes coming out of my ears. most of the clothes are for girls though. a local church is having a katrina drive that i was going to
    if you send me her po box i can at least send her diapers and wipes, even if the clothes won’t work.
    just as a suggestion, if people want to you can get 204 diapers for just 32.49 from amazon and shipping is free (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007U9E0K/qid=1126731549/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9598246-6791851?v=glance&s=hpc&n=507846) we all know how many diapers you need, and these are good to 14 pounds.

  3. FlippyO

    Can she (or you for her) make an Amazon wishlist? That way we could know what she needed and she could have it sent to the address she wanted, without any of us knowing the address.
    We’re pretty tapped out by now, but we can always figure out a way to send something.

  4. Y

    Suz- It’s a GIRL! I was so happy when she told me that, because I have girl things I can send her. So, if you want to send her things, I’ll email you her address.
    Flippy, that’s a great idea. I might make one for her. and I totally understand being “tapped out”. I almost didn’t write about this for that reason, but, after hearing her voice? I had to.

  5. FlippyO

    It never hurts to put the word out. Even some of us who are tapped out might be able to find a little something to give. And then, there also might be folks who haven’t decided where to give…and this might be exactly what they were looking for.

  6. ella

    I’m sorry to hear this about Stacy in San Antonio.
    I live in Austin and all you hear about is all the help going out to families that are living here now.
    I would definitely like to help Stacy and her family.
    Please email me her address.
    Thanks for sharing this!

  7. Michelle

    Send me her address and do you know if she is having a boy or a girl? I have a lot of baby stuff in storage for both. Her kids need school stuff? I wonder if we could just send a bunch of stuff and what she can’t use, she could pass around to others. THank you for giving us a chance to help, Yvonne.

  8. jenny lee

    if you don’t have time to make an amazon list for her, let me do it. i would have some great help here tonight that can coach me and it would be a GREAT experience for me to do. i can also put the list on my blog and have another blog it can go on too. let me know 🙂

  9. Langus

    I can totally help her with adult clothes and I could buy her some stuff from Amazon. Email me, if she still needs some things.

  10. angela

    yvonne, i live in san antonio. i’d love to get that info to help her out if needed.
    the people here in san antonio have been great to the evacuees (from what i’ve heard). all kinds of news stories that i’ve seen. we’ve set up numerous shelters but i’m sure it’s never enough. it would be easy for me to get stuff to this person since i am in the same town as her!

  11. Fiona

    yvonne, could you please email me her address so i can do a bit of shopping for her…thank you for reaching out to help Stacey this way

  12. Snidget

    Yvonne – I think I have some clothes – and definitely can help in the baby department (with blankets and bibs and stuff… I have tons)
    Let me know how I can help.

  13. erika

    Just more proof to me of the beautiful woman you are, Yvonne.
    I’m going to check out the amazon list tonight when I get home and see what I can do. I can’t even begin to imagine what she’s going through.

  14. D

    There are a lot of good things happening but there is also a lot of crap. From what I understand they are emptying the shelters here. They offered debit cards to the evacuees but then only offered them at one church. They had people coming from all over the city (and some don’t have cars!) and waiting in line all night – thousands of people! They brough 40 cards to an outlying shelter that housed 400 people! There are a lot of people falling through the cracks here.

  15. D

    and by here….I mean Houston. Sorry.
    I really think the authorities (Red Cross & city and everyone) just was not prepared for a disaster of this scale.
    Its been the everyday people like yourselves who make a difference.

  16. Cristi

    I so have the clothes for her…I was going to have a yard sale before Hurricane Katrina but then I was going to just donate them, yet now I know they will def. reach someone in need.
    I’m a teacher too and I know I have a bunch of extra supplies and whatnot for the little ones…
    My email is cristiblu9@aol.com
    Please let me know her info when you can.
    You’re great =)
    Cristi

  17. Rori

    Y, I LOVE you. I mean I loved you before for your humor, honesty and of course your boobs. But now, to see how deep your heart is? I literally weep.
    I wish we could all somehow find out how to help ONE person, ONE family.

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