Anderson helping to put lives back together

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Anderson helping to put lives back together

Derek Anderson, who signed with the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets last month, is staying in a hotel a couple of blocks from the Astrodome.

He relates that last week he ran into some people who had been relocated there because of Hurricane Katrina and flooding in New Orleans.

The Louisville native and former University of Kentucky star struck up a conversation and invited the folks to have dinner with him at his hotel. The people didn't know he was an NBA player until midway through the meal.

"I was just overwhelmed by their stories," Anderson said. "It felt great just to let them know that somebody cared."

As a result of that encounter, Anderson set up a foundation called Support Our Survivors, or S.O.S. He is selling T-shirts with the S.O.S. logo for $10, with proceeds helping the evacuees find permanent places to live.

"Even if they find a job, they have to have a place to live instead of going back to the dome," he said.

"We're giving them money so they can support themselves. Everybody's talking about getting them food and water, but what happens in two months when they have all the food and water they need? We're looking at the big picture."

Anderson, who is still being paid from his previous contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, said he has donated $50,000 to the cause and is earmarking part of his Rockets salary this season toward the effort.


"There are people walking around everywhere you look," he said. "It's kind of like the (Kentucky) Derby down here, only they're not having fun. People are living on top of people in the dome, with no place to shower. It's not right."

The T-shirts can be purchased at supportoursurvivors.com or by calling the foundation at (877) PLEZ-SOS.

Full Court, Anderson's athletic apparel store on West Broadway, also is selling the shirts. Anderson said the proceeds also will help displaced storm survivors staying in Louisville.

— Brian Bennett