McCain Campaign Press Release - 2008 Republican National Convention Launches First Day of Hurricane Relief Effort

SAINT PAUL, MN -- Today, the 2008 Republican National Convention launched the first day of its Hurricane Gustav Relief Effort. The effort includes the formation of a center where volunteers will assemble and send 80,000 "comfort packages," a text message alert system, and a comprehensive effort to encourage Americans to donate to charities identified by the five Gulf Coast governors. These efforts augment the steps that the convention announced yesterday, which included the formation of the Affected States Working Group and the establishment of an Affected States Information Center.

"We are deeply concerned about the safety and welfare of the residents of the Gulf States region. Senator McCain has asked us to put country first and shift our focus to assisting the Gulf State citizens, and we have coordinated a relief effort that answers his call to service. We are doing what Americans do best: helping our fellow citizens in need," said Rick Davis, campaign manager for McCain 2008.

Chairman of the Republican National Committee Robert M. "Mike" Duncan added, "The safety and well-being of the people of the Gulf States remains our top concern. Over the past 24 hours, we have moved quickly to mobilize people and resources to assist the Gulf States' residents -- both those who are in the region and our delegates in Saint Paul -- in any way we can."

Comfort Care Packages

The 2008 Republican National Convention has joined with Target, FedEx, and the Red Cross to send 80,000 "comfort packages" to the Gulf Coast region. The packages will be assembled at the Minneapolis Convention Center in a staging area being assembled today. The packages will have basic necessities donated by Target, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap, granola bars, and other prepackaged foods. The donated materials will arrive in Saint Paul on Wednesday at 8 a.m., and FedEx will ship the packages to the appropriate locations.

The 2008 Republican National Convention is helping coordinate the volunteer effort. We expect 200 volunteers, which will be working in 75 minute shifts beginning on Wednesday.

Text Message Alert System

We have launched a text message alert system to inform delegates and alternates of program changes and other information as soon as it becomes available. The convention is in continuous communication with all delegates, speakers, and program participants. All parties understand that the schedule for the convention will be dictated by the conditions on the ground in the Gulf States and are, therefore, subject to change. The campaign and the convention's first priority is the safety and security of those living in the areas where the hurricane will make landfall.

Charitable Donations

The governors of the states affected by the hurricane recommended five charitable organizations that Americans can donate to if they wish to contribute to the relief efforts. The 2008 Republican National Convention is working to coordinate and encourage donations to these groups. In addition, the McCain 2008 campaign has set up a phone bank at the Hilton in Minneapolis, which will help coordinate donations to these groups. The five groups are as follows:

• Louisiana: AidMatrix (www.AidMatrix.org)
  
  AidMatrix is a leading aid organization that mobilizes more than $1.5 billion in aid annually, worldwide. The donated goods, money and services benefit the lives of more than 65 million people.
  
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• Mississippi: Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund (www.MississippiRelief.com)
  
  The Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund has been set up by Governor Haley Barbour to serve as the state's central clearinghouse for corporations, organizations and individuals to donate money, equipment, goods, services, volunteers and time to the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians who may be affected by Hurricane Gustav.
  
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• Alabama: Governor's Emergency Relief Fund (www.ServeAlabama.gov)
  
  In preparation for the possibility of Hurricane Gustav impacting Alabama, Governor Bob Riley and the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives are accepting offers of goods, volunteers and financial donations.
  
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• Texas: Texas Responds (www.TexasResponds.org)
  
  When activated by the State of Texas, Texas Responds serves as the state portal for non-cash donations such as goods and services.
  
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• Florida: Florida Disaster Fund (www.FloridaDisasterFund.org)
  
  The mission of the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund is to raise funds to help Floridians recover from natural disasters by strengthening families and rebuilding communities.

The McCain 2008 campaign has also set up a web site, www.causegreater.com, where Americans can go to learn more about these organizations. In addition, the 2008 Republican National Convention's official web site is now being updated to focus on the charitable efforts the convention is now engaged in.

Prayer Service

A prayer service, hosted by Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Texas delegation, will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the Central Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul. The service will be led by Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. The Texas delegation has invited all other Gulf State delegations to participate.

Today's announcement is an update to the efforts announced yesterday, which included the formation of the Affected States Working Group and the establishment of an Affected States Information Center. The working group is comprised of representatives from each of the states in Hurricane Gustav's path. It is led by all five state party chairs from the affected area along with other delegation officials. The group communicates twice a day and is actively working to ensure that all affected delegates have the information and assistance they need. The group regularly briefs their delegates and convention planners, provides access to timely information and assistance, and gives input on appropriate steps that can be taken from Minnesota.

In addition, the Affected States Information Center, housed in the Xcel Energy Center, is now up and running. The center will remain open during the Xcel Energy Center's operating hours and serves as a central location where delegates can get news about the hurricane, weather reports, and information about rescue relief organizations; access to computers and phones; and the resources they need to address their situations back home. There are also representatives in the center that can contact Gulf State governors, if needed.