For Immediate Release

	September 2, 2005 NBA MOBILIZES TO AID HURRICANE VICTIMS Statement of National Bar Association President Reginald M. Turner Regarding Hurricane Katrina The National Bar Association (NBA) is poised to assist the people of the Gulf Coast region affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Our prayers are extended to members of the National Bar Association residing in the region, and to the hundreds of thousands of Americans suffering from the destruction. The NBA is mobilizing the maximum resources available within our organization to assist. We call upon our members to contribute to the relief efforts of the American Red Cross, and other local, state and national humanitarian agencies providing food, water, shelter and other basic necessities to hurricane victims. Each NBA member, affiliate chapter, section and division is requested to contact the American Red Cross by calling (800) HELP-NOW or by visiting its website at http://www.redcross.org. We ask that NBA members identify on calls or web responses their membership in the National Bar Association so that we may stand in unity with them in their relief effort. There are already some amazing stories of NBA members providing extraordinary assistance to families in need. Like Judge Cynthia Stephens of Detroit, the NBA Chaplain, who diverted from her vacation to go to Houston to minister to the spiritual and earthly needs of families transplanted from New Orleans. Like Attorney Russell Wilson of Texas, who personally provided food, water, clothing and shelter for a stranded family of nine people, paying for them to continue to stay in temporary housing from which they were about to be evicted. We truly belong to a noble profession! Finally, the NBA is joining with its local affiliates, such as the J.L. Turner Legal Association of Dallas, Texas and Houston Black Lawyers Association of Houston, Texas whose relief efforts are already underway as they tend to the specific needs of people on the ground. The NBA is also joining with the American Bar Association (ABA) to provide additional pro bono legal services and to help lawyers re-establish practices disrupted by the hurricane. Details regarding these efforts will be posted in the coming days on the NBA and ABA websites, www.nationalbar.org and www.abanet.org. I encourage you to go to the visit these sites to help you determine ways you can be of assistance. The NBA is the oldest and largest organization of attorneys and judges of color in the world. The NBA was founded in 1925, and today represents over 20,000 lawyers, judges, legal scholars and law students internationally.