Some came for legal assistance. Others came to meet with financial planners. But every Hurricane Katrina survivor in attendance received a little hope at Jackie Robinson Field at Lowry on Saturday.
The event, billed as a “Spectrum of Hope,” was sponsored by the monthly newspaper Urban Spectrum, which covers Denver’s African-American community, to help hurricane survivors who have been relocated to Denver.
“They are starting over and they need to know the resources on how to do it,” said Debra Clark, an accountant and financial assistance volunteer.
“All the taking and the free stuff will go away and they will need to know how to survive once it’s all gone,” she said.
Dana Bell survived the hurricane. But that was the easy part, she said.
Evacuated to Lowry, and determined to start a new life in Colorado, Bell must reassemble her life with little more than the support of her family.
“It’s like starting all over,” said Bell, who swam through the streets of New Orleans’ Seventh Ward area to save her mother and grandmother. “We are here and plan on being here, but without assistance we will be in a homeless shelter.”
Bell moved from one booth to another, visiting with employment recruiters, financial planners and counselors.
“I’m just overwhelmed by the support I’ve been getting,” she said as she grasped two bags of donated clothes.
Music played throughout the day, smells of barbecue wafted in the air and children ran circles throughout the ballpark. But behind all the festivities, the theme of the afternoon was welcoming a new group of people into the community.
Melody Brown, a counseling volunteer and family therapist, said many African-American survivors have had a hard time adjusting to Denver.
“Denver isn’t like New Orleans,” she said.
“You don’t know where the pulse of the African-American community is. You can go into a culture shock being here.”
Staff writer Michael McCollum can be reached at mmccollum@denverpost.com or 303-820-1201.
