My daughter's N'awleans family has been adopted by

[Window]

the city of West Orange...she's preparing to go back to help others. Yes, I'm extremely proud of Shawn, my youngest daughter.


http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/new...

It takes a suburb to save a family

West Orange makes New Orleans mom and her three kids feel at home

Friday, September 09, 2005
BY KEVIN C. DILWORTH
Star-Ledger Staff

Before Hurricane Katrina carved a path of death, destruction and tragedy through the Gulf Coast, evacuated New Orleans resident Iesha LeFlore said she never ventured more than 30 minutes outside of her hometown, going only as far as the booming suburban city of Kenner.
Today, the pregnant 36-year-old single mom who has two daughters and a son -- all left homeless, fearful and traumatized by one of the worst natural disasters in American history -- is making a new life in New Jersey.

<snip>

It's all thanks to the efforts of Shawn Craig, a West Orange woman who made initial inquiries about the homeless shelters for hurricane victims; the suburban Essex County community of West Orange that "adopted" and offered to help the LeFlores get back on their feet; educator Shakuur Sabuur, who drove them and two other evacuated families from New Orleans to the Garden State; and a real estate firm that found them an apartment.

"I'm grateful to everyone who has helped me out of this tragedy," LeFlore said yesterday, just before Craig drove her to the Kmart department store on Prospect Avenue in West Orange to accept a free shopping spree offered by the store manager and employees there. "When they came to me with this (relocation) offer, I just took it."

<snip>

"It's something that no one should ever have to experience," LeFlore said. "I was born and raised in New Orleans. I've been there all my life. I've never been anywhere else, other than Kenner. I'm pretty much grateful to be here. People are looking out for me and my kids."
Shawn Craig, a meeting planner who is the wife of former East Orange Councilman Claude Craig, said LeFlore feels grateful to be alive, and was happy to learn that her 58-year-old mother, Doris LeFlore, a retail saleswoman also left homeless, plans to relocate and join her here.

<snip>

Craig said physicians at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston have waived their usual medical fees and began providing free health care to the LeFlores, and the Connolly real estate firm has found the LeFlores a three-bedroom apartment in which they can live, rent-free, on South Harrison Street until the mother gets on her feet.

[Liberty Belle]

1. That's wonderful. It's heartening to hear some good news

amid all this tragedy.

[babylonsister]

2. Terrific! Our country is coming together. Let's not let * pull us apart!