GHANAIA Katrina Hurricane Relief

Project Timeline

Sep 07, 2005:
UNITED SIKHS launches massive rescue operation to recover the SIKH SCRIPTURES, the SIKH ETERNAL GURU -"SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB", from the flood waters of the New Orleans' Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship). UNITED SIKHS emergency rescue squad brings SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI 'home' safely after a rescue operation spanning 22 hours with hired help from private CRT helicopter special response and training company of California.

Sep 06, 2005:
UNITED SIKHS volunteers begin to serve hot meals to 1300 evacuees at the Dream Center at Donaldsonville, a temporary shelter which houses an influx of evacuees from its neighbouring New Orleans. UNITED SIKHS, a global humanitarian and human development organization, joins the national coalition of volunteering agencies working with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) together with organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Methodist Church, Baptist Church, Catholic Charities, Episcopal Church, Church World Services and Adventist Community Services. Updates will be obtained by UNITED SIKHS through this coalition on a regular basis.

Sep 04, 2005:
UNITED SIKHS starts langgar, hotmeals from the Sikh community kitchen, to displaced people at the Katrina hurricane evacuee centers in New Orleans. Makes an appeal to Sikh community to raise $100,000 for relief efforts UNITED SIKHS writes a letter to the US president for assistance to airlift the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scriptures) from the submerged Gurdwara Sahib on Morris Rd, East New Orleans. Copies of letter sent to elected representatives, Bobby Jindal and Nikki Randhawa-Haley.

Sep 03, 2005:
The submerged Gurdwara Sahib New Orleans remains a 'NO GO' area and the UNITED SIKHS GHANAIA team is unable to recover the Sikh Scriptures from the submerged Gurdwara. UNITED SIKHS makes an appeal to the public for emergency supplies needed for the GHANAIA Katrina relief project for the hurricane devastated areas of New Orleans, Louisiana. These supplies will be distributed to the people who remain stranded without food, water and other essentials in the affected areas. Four collection centers established in Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge and Kansas City for people to send the relief material.

Sep 02, 2005:
The First batch of UNITED SIKHS volunteers arrive in Baton Rouge, capital of Louisiana, 85 miles from New Orleans, to set up the UNITED SIKHS GHANAIA Hurricane Katrina Relief Project base camp. Experts accompanied the team to the affected areas to make a fair assessment of damage to establish relief material supply chain.

Aug 30, 2005:
UNITED SIKHS contacts the president of New Orleans Gurdwara Sahib (Sikh place of worship), Sumir Kaur, to assess the ground situation in the areas affected by hurricane Katrina. Sumir Kaur informs UNITED SIKHS that all Sikhs affected by the hurricane are being temporarily housed with friends and family and that the Gurdwara Sahib is submerged under water. Sumir Kaur joins forces with UNITED SIKHS to execute a humanitarian relief program for New Orleans evacuees, regardless of their race, color or religion.

Aug 29, 2005:
Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans and UNITED SIKHS contacts US agencies for information to plan its relief efforts.

Aug 28, 2005:
UNITED SIKHS GHANAIA director picks up CNN's news alert that New Orleans is bracing itself for an overnight blow from hurricane Katrina.