From the press release:

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Mississippi GulfCoast Convention & Visitors Bureau (MGCVB) announced jointly today the establishment of the “Build Back Our Coast Fund” to aid the economic recovery, rebuilding efforts and job regeneration in the coastal region. The foundation has already received funding commitments from organizations across the country.

“Right now, the focus in the region is appropriately on basic human needs—potable water, food, shelter, medical care, fuel, and other basic necessities for our community. We salute all the organizations and individuals who are helping us from around the nation, and even the world, through their donations to organizations like the American Red Cross and other charities,” said Steve Richer, executive director of the MGCVB. “We must, however, look at the long term needs of our community. That means jobs and bringing back the businesses that support them, particularly those generated by our hospitality industry.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has set up the ‘Build Back Our Coast Fund’ for this purpose.

“I am pleased to report that many corporations, national organizations both in and out of the travel industry, and foundations have offered to help. I have personally been impacted most by the generosity of the American people and friends around the world. The kindness and caring has been overwhelming.”

Donations can be made via the Fund’s Web site at or via phone at 800-474-4445. Donors may earmark funds specifically for similar efforts in Louisiana, Alabama, or Florida via sister community foundations in New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is a 20-year-old philanthropic organization based in Biloxi, Mississippi that administers charitable funds for many local entities, as well as its own funding. Both the offices of the Foundation and the Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Coastal leaders, including Dickie Roberts who has evacuated the Coast and set up temporary offices in neighboring Alabama are working from their remote locations to continue serving their constituents. Ms. Roberts stated that “the opportunity before us is challenging and enormous however, we are experiencing all of the for-profit and non-profit forces joining together as never before to dream, plan and regenerate.”

Encouragement has been pouring in from national organizations, starting with the National Tour Association, American Bus Association, Travel Industry Association, Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International, and American Society of Association Executives. The American Gaming Association and its “Katrina Relief Fund,” which was already underway and has begun soliciting its members, is cooperating with the effort.

Richer acknowledged the work of the CVB’s ad agency, TURKEL, located in Miami, for its contribution and commitment to help with the fundraising, and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau for its contribution of both professional staff and the services of its New York-based public relations firm, Rubenstein Associates.

The U.S.-Arab Economic Forum has postponed its meeting next week in Houston “over concerns by event organizers that it would take some of the focus off the needs of the thousands of hurricane evacuees,” according to the Houston Chronicle. This was the organizers’ idea, not Houston’s—sounds like the city tried to keep it at its original dates. After all, it was to be held at Hilton Americas-Houston, not the George R. Brown Convention Center or Reliant Park.

As one would expect, city officials are saying they don’t think more meetings will do the same, and they’re hoping meetings at the sites now housing evacuees will reschedule, rather than book somewhere else. I hope they do.

PCMA has partnered with Gifts In Kind International. From the press release:

Through the program, PCMA members holding events in the United States or Canada can easily donate exhibit product and samples to Gifts In Kind International at the close of their events. Gifts In Kind will handle all aspects of product donation, from communicating with exhibitors to researching the recipient charity and facilitating the distribution of the donated items. In addition, donors can avoid the cost of reshipping exhibit product and may qualify for a significant tax deduction.

Sounds like a good and painless way to reduce the post-show swag pile and do some good at the same time. Still, my first thought on reading this (and yes, I know I’m strange) is whether Gifts In Kind ever goes by the GIKI acronym? Just say it a few times, GIKI, GIKI, GIKI…kind of fun, isn’t it? Like easy donations.

This morning I received a notice that a New York event show to be held this fall is making a donation to the Red Cross of 25 percent of the cost of a two-day Show Floor pass for planners and vendors to “show our support for our colleagues in New Orleans.”

While I laud the effort, something about using this info in a marketing piece bothers me—I’d rather they just made the announcement at the show, or afterward. Am I just being overly sensitive here?

From the New Orleans CVB yesterday:

All city-wide conventions (those utilizing center space and three or more hotels) to be held in the Center are cancelled through March 31, 2006. The commitment of New Orleans to a flawless experience for our customers means unequivocally that we will not re-open for convention business until the experience is perfect and to your and our high standards. We will err on the side of safety for you.

The Center may serve as a key location for FEMA and or National Guard operations in the near future. Those decisions, however, have not yet been made by authorities. The Center has been searched and cleared by the military and is secured. We will work with FEMA to ensure that when the building is repaired, and the city is ready, the building will become immediately available for conventions again.