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I continue to get emails from across the country as CAI members organize responses to the Hurricane Katrina victims. I am constantly amazed by the generosity of our members and their willingness to step up and offer help to those in need.

In Texas, Houston Community Management Services and Greatwood HOA collected 12 truckloads of supplies to support the relief efforts and provide for gulf coast residents being housed in the Houston area.

In Nevada, Excellence Community Management organized a Hurricane Katrina Victim Relief Benefit last Sunday.  Working with numerous other organizations, they raised over $50,000 for the American Red Cross.

In California, Action Community Management is collecting and matching employee donations to "Giving Children Hope".

Update: Thursday September 15

CAI members across the country continue to demonstrate their generosity.

In Maryland, The Brickman Group, a national landscape firm has pledged to match all employee contributions to the Red Cross 2 for 1 and has made an initial contribution of $250,000 from Brickman family members.

In Georgia, Metlock Bridge, has welcomed several families from the Gulf Coast.  In addition to hosting familes in their homes, one family has been given a vacant home for their use which has been fully furnished and equipped by the community.

In Texas, Magnolia Property Management is working with Jobworkz to help find new jobs for workers displaced by the storm. 

In Texas again, SCM Real Estate Services is providing several facilities to the relief efforts including a 30,000 square foot warehouse that is being used to store and distribute donations of food, clothing, and other items and a 15,000 square foot commercial building for temporary shelter and business relocation services.

In Arizona, residents of the Ocotillo Community Association have arranged for a new apartment, food, clothing, furniture, and job opportunities for a New Orleans family.

In Virgina, the Wellesley Whitecaps, the youth swim team in the Wellesley Homeowners Association, held a car wash and bake sale to raise over $3,000 for the Red Cross.

In Georgia, AtHomeNet, a community web services company, will make a contribution to the Red Cross on behalf of every new community they bring online.

Just amazing everyone.  This is what we mean when we all talk about building community. 

As the situation continues to worsen along the Gulf Coast, CAI members are stepping up to help  from across the country. 

Just this morning I heard from John Lawton, CEO of HRW, Inc. a management company in Raleigh, NC.  John is collecting contributions from his employees to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and HRW will match all of their individual contributions.  He also informed me that one of his communities, Southern Village, has transformed their Labor Day community picnic into a fundraiser for hurricane relief.

This is what community is about.  I am so proud of these individuals and organizations who not only talk the talk about community, but walk the walk as well. 

If you or your organization are helping raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina I would like to hear about it.  Just click on the "Send us comments" link at the right and send me an email.

UPDATE:  We have been getting a number of calls from members who are working to adapt their rules to enable their communities to assist in the relief efforts for victims of Katrina, including housing those displaced by the storm.  We urge all of our members to be flexible and reasonable in assessing how to apply their rules under these unprecedented circumstances.  For more information, take a look at our statement at: http://www.caionline.org/news/detail.cfm?PRNumber=98091305