In connection with our work creating community gardens in Columbia, we raised just over $500 to contribute to the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans, LA. The Common Ground Collective is a truly grassroots effort organized after Hurricane Katrina in the name of "solidarity, not charity". The Collective's projects likewise emphasizes our physical and social connections to the earth and one another.

At the Levees and Liberties event*, sponsored in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, over $300 was raised towards the Cola to NOLA trip. Oct. 17th Eric Donath, a.k.a. D.J. Beefburger, organized a benefit party for the project, hosted by the Art Bar.

Sara Williams, Allison Peeler, and Lori distributed information and took donations at the door, raising approximately $230 for the evening. Oct. 27 Sara gave a presentation on CPRC Common Ground and the Cola-NOLA project at the Katrina Neighbors Solidarity Tour, hosted by the SC Progressive Network and the SC AFL-CIO.

Although the workgroup had planned to use the funds to join New Orleans residents and work alongside them, this will no longer be possible. The New Orleans Common Ground Collective is no longer able to organize communal shelter and meals, and thus has stopped taking out-of-town volunteers. Therefore, instead of using the funds we have raised to organize and transport a crew of workers, the CPRC sent the funds directly to the New Orleans Common Ground Collective, in solidarity with so many residents still working for justice and peace on the Gulf Coast.

Emily Posner of the Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project sent this message of thanks from the Common Ground Collective: "Thank you for all the work that you have done. It is this type of solidarity work that will help the people of New Orleans to return despite insitutional racism and beaurocratic obstacles."

*The Aug. 26th, 2006 Levees & Liberties event was sponsored by CPRC and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. The evening of remembering, music, poetry, and multi-media presentations marked the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.