930 Club Katrina Benefit?

[ccperkdog]

Hey Seth, what are the chances of a 930 Club Benefit to raise funds for Hurricane Katrina victims? I know you all did one with Thievery Corporation in the spring for Tsunami victims, maybe they would be game again.

[Seth Hurwitz]

you know, we have many tools at our disposal (Merriweather, etc) and I'm just trying to figure out which scenario fills in the gaps best

[bikerchickdc]

My two cents...
 
 Offer free tickets to any/as many shows at the 9:30 for a year to anyone who volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and goes down south to help rebuild. Of course continue with any plans to raise cash, but getting an entourage of rebuilders would make a huge impact, too. Especially since, once the initial crisis is over and people are not dying in the streets any more, so many people just forget and move on. And you'd have to offer a different incentive to the staph but I know how talented some of those guys are when it comes to swinging a hammer...

[Jaguär]

Whatever you do, DON'T hold it at a stadium!!!
 (Not that I think you would.            )
 
 In addition to whatever you plan, you could start up one of those donations for tickets at the club and at Merriweather events like you've been doing in December. You may also want to include items such as tooth brushes and tooth paste, toilet paper, shampoo and other toiletries, phone cards, Metro passes, gift certificates to stores such as Target or other places that people can buy what they need, etc... All non-perishable items, of course.
 
 In fact, maybe you can get some appropriate area merchant to work with you on this and have them provide gift certificates to those who come to the area for the exchange of using their name on the bill. Besides, they can write it off of their taxes while looking good to the community and adding a little help in the bucket. A little lagniape, as they say.  

[you be betty]

Go call Ian Mackaye.  He'll help.

[walkonby]

Originally posted by you be betty:
  Go call Ian Mackaye.  He'll help.

but he'll throw this concert to raise money with like five thousand bands playing and only charge two dollars and fifty cents to get in.  "man, i know this is for a good cause and all, but like i hope they don't get me with those stupid service charges and all," says the x mark on the dreamer's hand.

[bikerchickdc]

Originally posted by Jaguär:
  You may also want to include items such as tooth brushes and tooth paste, toilet paper, shampoo and other toiletries, phone cards, Metro passes, gift certificates to stores such as Target or other places that people can buy what they need, etc... All non-perishable items, of course.
 

The only problem with donating goods for a disaster of this size is getting them into the hands of the people who need them. Even at the Armory, where we are not expected to recieve but a fraction of the evacuees when compared with other cities, they do not want goods dropped off unless you bring a pallet of an item or more. The various charities need staff to sort, organize, and store the small goods and that is not practical when so many need so much. Unless you partner very carefully with a very small, local/regional charity, your donations can actually complicate things more than they help.  For example, if you don't have enough phone cards for all of the families in a certain relief center, how can you fairly decide who gets them and who doesn't?
 
 I am not trying to discourage anyone from planning whatever they feel best nor from giving. But for donations of physical things, it's probably better (and simpler) to give them to the local food banks and such. Remember that after 9/11, everyone was so overwhelmed with charity in the months just after the attacks, all the homeless shelters and food banks had severe shortages over the winter--- people had given so much already that no one even thought of the longer-term needs. So, give money money money now and save the non-perishable items for the food banks for the winter.
 
 Just my two cents...

[eltee]

Seth - do you think there will be something set up for donations (clothing, etc.)? I love that the club does this. Hate to say it, but convenient too!