The editors and writers behind Blog Nosh Magazine are a motley bunch. Our stories are hilarious, colorful, transcendent, painful, absurd, and strong. They are what define us, make us interesting, and sharpen our eye for stories that we know will resonate with you.

I am not an exception to this rule. I have my story, as well, and as much as I try to fight its attempts to define me, it colors my every day.

Four years ago, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast. When she left, she took my home with her. Down to the bare slab of concrete. I was far from alone in my loss.

Her reach was astonishing. Her strength was impressive. Her cruelty was deplorable. And yet, she left us with spirits far better defined than we thought possible in the days and hours before August 29, 2005.

Our feature today begs a little favoritism as I republish my own first writing of my family’s experience on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during and after Hurricane Katrina, playfully titled Victor Vito, after a Laurie Berkner song. Many of you have read it before, far more never even realized that I had a Katrina story. That’s one of my favorite things about the editors of Blog Nosh Magazine: we do not wear our tragedies on our sleeves. We are so much more than what we’ve witnessed. Plus, we much prefer to knock your socks off with them when you least expect it. It is then that we know you are listening.

While we have your delectably nibble-worthy ear, we would like to take a moment and thank one of this month’s sponsors of Blog Nosh Magazine, Tide Loads of Hope. A deliciously novel disaster-relief campaign, Tide Loads of Hope centers around a simple plan. After natural disasters, nationwide, a Loads of Hope truck equipped with 32 high-efficiency washers and dryers is sent out to meet one of the most basic human needs of families in crisis: clean clothes.

You can read much more about the Loads of Hope program at http://tideloadsofhope.com, as well as my personal response to their nationwide disaster relief efforts in my Hurricane Katrina 4th Anniversary post at Velveteen Mind. Only the end is about Tide, so much more is another slice of my very personal story, into which I warmly welcome you.  The audioblog is posted, as well, so you can load it onto your iPod and listen while you, well, do laundry.  A dastardly task worthy of a chocolate-covered reward, don’t you think?

At Blog Nosh Magazine, we think every small effort deserves a chocolate-covered reward. You support Tide Loads of Hope, a year-long disaster relief effort, when you purchase a vintage Tide t-shirt.  All profits go toward helping families affected by disaster, nationwide.  Disaster-relief awareness affects victims of wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and so much more.  This is our opportunity to remember and help prepare.  More than 20,000 families have been helped by Tide alone, so far.  30,000 loads of laundry.  I’m thinking Tide deserves a chocolate-covered mountain of creme-filled doughnuts.

Nosh Notes from the Editor by Blog Nosh Magazine Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Megan Jordan of Velveteen Mind.

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