Another View: After the Flood
On NJN Public Television
Tuesday, October 18, at 6:30 pm; rebroadcast Friday, October 21, at 11:30 pm

STATEWIDE – Hosted by Candace Kelley, Another View: After the Flood explores the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina through the eyes of the Thomas family. After Katrina ravaged New Orleans, Wallace Thomas flew from New Jersey to find his family and bring them back home to Lawrence, New Jersey. It has been almost two months since Katrina forced the 24 family members to re-locate with only the clothes on their backs. Find out the obstacles they had to overcome and what they are doing to stick together in the name of family. Another View: After the Flood airs on NJN on Tuesday, October 18, at 6:30 pm, and Friday, October 21, at 11:30 pm.

Connie Mercer, the Director of HomeFront, a nonprofit social services organization that assists homeless families in Mercer County, gives her take on Katrina's aftermath. HomeFront has been instrumental in assisting the Thomas family’s transition to New Jersey. Mercer shares her perspective on the realities of poverty others who are still in need. Mercer also outlines what her organization is doing for hundreds of families who are without a home who she describes as the “poverty nomads”.

“Last year we served over 4000 homeless families. They, like the Katrina families, have lost everything; they have lost their sense of community, their sense of worth and family mementos. Because when you become homeless, even if it’s local homelessness, you don’t scoop up your favorite pictures in a bag and carry them to safety. So I’m thrilled that the Katrina families are getting what they need to get on with their lives, but I’m just really sad that the community can’t always help other folks who are struggling with poverty and homelessness; can’t help them with the resources they need to move on with their lives.”

Linda L. Coles is the executive producer of Another View. Another View is web cast at njn.net and can be seen on NJN’s JerseyVision and on Time Warner Cable on channel 750 in New York. Closed-captioning is provided.