10:10 a.m. - Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005

About 20 families from Louisiana that fled Hurricane Katrina are in Fayette County seeking help from the Department of Family and Children Services, and the most immediate need is for food and clothing, but there is no storage space so used clothing cant be accepted, officials said.

DFCS is asking for gift cards to grocery stores, Wal-Mart or Target and even prepaid credit cards that can be used for anything to help these families with food and clothing. Cards can be dropped off at the DFCS office at 905 Ga. Highway 85 South; going south from downtown Fayetteville, the DFCS office is the second driveway to the right just past the traffic light at Hwy. 85 and Ramah Road, after the Kroger Town Center shopping center.

A town hall meeting to organize support for the refugee families is planned tonight at 7 p.m. at the Fayette County Library in Fayetteville. Church leaders in particular are asked to attend.
Some of the families are here staying with family or friends; others have no one to rely on and have stopped here. Some are staying at local hotels but are running out of money.

All of the families left Louisiana with few supplies, thinking they would be able to return home. They likely will need short term and long-term assistance.

To help donate, contact Sharon Herbert at 770-460-2555 or Dee House at 770-460-2579.

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