HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2005 Contact: Brent Cranfield 404.656.0305 bcranfield@legis.state.ga.us HOUSE MEMBERS LEND A HAND IN LOCAL RELIEF EFFORT Members joined `Hosea's Feed the Hungry and Homeless ATLANTA State Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) announced that Members of the Georgia House will get a hands on experience in the Katrina Relief Effort hosted by the Hosea Williams organization. The effort aids the Hurricane Katrina victims and their families to provide welcomed Total relief. In order to take care of these evacuees, Hosea's Feed the Hungry and Homeless is providing a number of things all in one place: clothing and shoes for all ages, phone and gas cards, food boxes that will provide for families for two weeks, health care volunteers are providing medical attention, access to some private housing from people who are opening up their homes to evacuees, providing hotel stays from one week to 30 days, crisis counseling and intervention, and money to fly children to their families. Member of the House met at the relief effort upon adjournment of the House after voting to ratify Governor Perdue's executive order to eliminate the state's collection of gas taxes for the month of September. "When we came in to session this week, many Members felt like just writing a check wasn't enough. They wanted to directly interact and involve themselves with the relief efforts." Rep. Cooper said. "Going there, meeting the families, reminds Members that there are real faces and real families that need their help, not just their voice." During her second term in the House, Rep. Cooper passed legislation that allowed relief workers to reciprocate across state lines without fear of losing their job. "It's not often that we can see the positive impact of our work, and now we can be apart of it." Hosea's Feed the Hungry and Homeless is located at 1035 Donnelly Ave., SW, Atlanta, GA. Elizabeth Omilami is the Executive Director, and can be reached at 404-755-3353 or www.hoseafeedthehungry.com For additional information, contact the Rep. Cooper office at 404-463-8142.