VALLEY RELIEF EFFORT INTENSIFIES GENEROSITY FLOWS IN CASH, SUPPLIES FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - A convoy of trucks loaded with clothes, food, pet food and other donated items left Wednesday for the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast, one of dozens of independently organized relief efforts mobilizing across the Southland.

Not content to just send in a check to an organized relief agency, thousands of businesses, students, stay-at-home moms and others have launched their own efforts to rush supplies to those in need. Among those was the convoy of 18 semitrailers and 10 cars that was organized by a Bella POOCH, a Los Angeles business consulting company run by Sidney Ray.

``We can't go to our government for help, we have to help each other,'' said spokesman Shawn Booth. ``As we sit here in Southern California, beautiful as hell, with roofs, and pools and clothes on our backs, half- a-million people have nothing.''

At California State University, Northridge, students, faculty and staff will begin a five-day fundraising campaign today at the campus' annual Welcome Picnic, with the goal of raising $500,000.

``Cal State Northridge suffered tremendous damage during the (Northridge) Earthquake, and people and businesses across the country responded with an outpouring of support and assistance,'' CSUN President Jolene Koester said. ``Now it is our turn to repay that generosity.''

Jim Alger, a pilot and member of the Northridge West Neighborhood Council, collected food, water, diapers and other staples from other neighborhood councils and flew them in his private plane to Louisiana earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the San Fernando Valley Chapter of Mocha Moms Inc., a nonprofit national support group for stay-at-home mothers, is launching a hurricane relief drive beginning today. Feminine hygiene products, toiletries, diapers, baby wipes, bottles and baby formula can be dropped off from 7 a.m.-noon at 17636 Bessemer St., Encino.

The Northeast Valley Health Corp., in North Hollywood and other community health care centers in Los Angeles County are preparing for an influx of up to 2,000 evacuees in the next few weeks. For information, call [phone].

The Canoga Park Best Western is housing two families displaced by the hurricane, arranged through the American Red Cross, said Barry Gurney, manager of the bowling center there.

Monica Weaver, 50, of New Orleans, said she and her mother, Lois Jones, 84, and her granddaughter, Keraston, 5, traveled from the city a day before the hurricane hit and arrived Monday in Los Angeles, where her sister lives,.

But her sister doesn't have room to house the family for the months it may take before they can return to the city, Weaver said. So she was grateful to the Red Cross and the hotel for giving her a place to stay.

``We thought we were going to be away from home for a day or two, so we only brought one change of clothes,'' Weaver said.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles announced Wednesday that it has raised approximately $500,000 for hurricane relief from a telephone and e-mail campaign.

At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Community Outreach Assistance for Children's Health unit - COACH for Kids, a mobile medical unit that provides primary health care services to poor children in Los Angeles - left for Houston on Tuesday to help hurricane victims there. The coach will be staffed by eight pediatric and emergency nurses and nurse practitioners as well as mental health professionals and a medical director.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross announced that it has moved its Family Reception Center to 2614 West 7th Street, Los Angeles. The agency has provided more than $125,000 in direct assistance to more than 200 people displaced by the hurricane, who began arriving this past weekend.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Volunteer Anne Goodman packs items for hurricane victims on Wednesday in Van Nuys.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(2) A hurricane relief drive Wednesday at a Ralphs parking lot in Woodland Hills includes participants, left to right, City Councilman Greig Smith, Terry O'Neil of Ralphs, City Council members Tony Cardenas, Dennis Zine, Alex Padilla, Wendy Greuel and the director of the Valley Food Bank, Will Hernandez.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer