Contact: Margaret Thompson Johnson – 904-292-4392
Media Contact: Bunnie Jackson-Ransom – 404-505-8188
LINKS, Inc. Take Action -- Offer Disaster Assistance
Nation Wide Search for Members of Links Affected by Katrina
One of this nation’s premier Black women’s or ganizations, The Links, Inc or p or ated, took immediate action following the disaster of hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast . “It appears that all of America was caught unprepared f or a disaster of this magnitude, said Dr.Gladys Gary Vaughn, National President of The Links, Inc. Theref or e, all of our members were asked to answer a call to action to assist not only our members but as many surviv or s of Hurricane Katrina as possible. At this time, we are happy to rep or t that chapters throughout the United States are providing service in a number of ways and through a number of programs with people and other or ganizations of good will. We are 10,000 members who are dedicated to community service and willing to do our share -- and m or e.”
Answering the call to action f or members of The Links, Inc or p or ated meant a consolidated and concerted eff or t to save and sustain human life. After reacting to the first instinct to donate money, The Links, Inc. developed a strategy, conceived by the collective brain power of its leadership, to provide “Disaster Relief.” This across the board disaster relief plan, the envy of which could attract the US Government, includes: (1) Communication and Mobilization – communicating with our membership, establishing command centers within the affected areas, and co or dinating chapters as they move into action; (2) Immediate Relief – what needs to done and what can we do with our resources to sustain relief; (3) Stabilization – the relief fund; and (4) Bridging to the Future – a task f or ce on disaster relief; an on-going disaster relief eff or t using the resources of all African American or ganizations w or king together.
There are 140 members of The Links from three chapter located in New Orleans . These women are suffering with displacement, loss of homes and belongings and, in many cases, the death of loved-ones. Some of these members have been accounted f or and the national headquarters of The Links is still looking f or others. “We impl or e Links chapters from across the United States to open their homes and their hearts to provide resources to our Sister Links as well as other persons who are in need,” added Dr. Vaughn.
The Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated, bearing the brunt of the tragedy, is lead by Margaret Thompson Johnson, Area Direct or . “While we reach out to our own, we realize that we are our brother’s keepers; and so we expect to stretch our eff or ts where ever we find need,” said Ms. Johnson. Theref or e, Mrs. Johnson stated that she has “redirected the upcoming Southern Area Executive Committee’s fall planning meeting from Jacksonville (FL) to Baton Rouge (LA) and Jackson (MS) in or der to meet with our displaced members and also to spend a day of hands-on volunteer service in those two communities”.
