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I am sorry that I have been unable to post on the server until now. However,  have receive a number of emails and have been reviewing the comments on St.John's list serve.

Some of you may be aware that the American Celiac Society had to evacuate from New Orleans because of the hurricane. We had requested help in posting our message to you earlier. We are grateful to all for their emails, prayers, and offers for help.  I feel all should know from a first hand experience, the problems that face celiacs and anyone on a special diet.

This has happened before and I tried to make others aware of the problem, but we need to be more agressive in getting the message out.  After 9/11 I personally contacted the Red Cross, Salvation Army and several organizations providing meals for victims.   I offered to help prepare and distribute the meals.  I was advised that special meals could not be prepared or provided regardless of medical need.

Many glulten free companies wanted to help and send supplies. None of the organizations were willing to prepare special meals. The products sent to us, were divided into 200+ care packages. I personally delivered 3 to celiac victims.  The others were sent to a food bank for distribution with a letter enclosed to contact me if instructions were needed in prepration and to send a letter of thanks to the vendors that supplied the product.  To this date other than the three boxes I deliver, I have no knowledge if the products were placed in the hand of Celiacs.

On my arrival in the Houston area, I only had my cell phone with a New Orleans area code. I again called the Red Cross, Salvation Army and others to offer help and requested a place to prepare and distribute food.  My offer went on deaf ears.

I was limited in use of email because the connection was dial up and interferred with telephone service of the home I was staying at.  This made helping other more difficult.  I called Janet Rhinhart of the Houston Celiac group to offer help in providing meals. I also contact CSA/USA who offered to use their toll free number to accept calls from victims and direct them to resources. We tried to get posted on the airways and in the press "Celiacs needing help from Katrina call 1-877-CSA-4CSA."  Janet was finally able to get this published in the Houston Chronical on Thursday of last week.  The object of this notice was to get the word out that their was hope for help and it was not the regular agencies.

If you know of celiac victims pleas have them call the toll free number.  If you want to help do not send food until you know who is in need.  You can call the toll free number for informtion of places to send things.

Finally, I would suggest that everyone reading this note write to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, HAAM, other organizations, food banks local and national that prepare and provide food and DAMAND they provide us with at least a place to prepare and store food for special needs as well as inform victims where they can get help.

While we here the horrible stories of death because of Katrina. I am sure the reports will not report how many celiac died because of no food or eating the gluten products such as crackers, peanut butter sandwiches, hot dogs, etc.

You can help to avoid future such problems by getting out your pen and paper today.

Thanks again for your help

Wishes for good health and blessings

Annette Bentley, President
American Celiac Society
[log in to unmask] - email
www.americanceliacsociety.org

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *