The Plan

On September 11th 2001 I woke up at 9:00am LA time. Being from New York originally I felt a sense of emptiness I have never felt before. Watching the news and seeing all the suffering just overwhelmed me in despair. The feeling you get when you ask what in the world can I possibly do to help. So far away from home. So I did what I could do from LA. I sent money through an established organization. But I really felt like being in NYC hands on to do what I could to help my fellow New Yorkers. Face to face. At the time I was dealing with financial challenges that didn't allow me to just pick up and go. I felt like my hands were tide. But I took the hit and fought on like so many people. I vowed for the rest of my life to dedicate my work to the memory of all the people who suffered that day. I truly understood how fragile we all are and yet how powerful. To see my home town bounce back with pride and strength was truly an inspiring and profound experience.

So many wonderful opportunities happened to me soon after. I worked with a great number of wonderful actor's producers and directors over the years. I've met so many wonderful people here in LA. I even made my own baseball team call the Hollywood Yankees out of guys that played semi pro and college. These guys come from every city in America. I do community service every chance I get with people who really care. I work hard and am dedicated so my family in LA, New York, Atlanta and Florida can be proud, and motivated to be strong with the rest of the nation. But what if I lost them? What if I lost them all to a natural disaster? What then? That's what the people in New Orleans and Mississippi and Biloxi are feeling right now. That's what New York Felt in 2001. Now we have to help them bounce back!

In 2004 I did the first episode of a show called THIEF that the world will see in 2006. We filmed it in New Orleans. I was there for a month last August and I tell you I had such a wonderful time. The people were so warm. The food was extraordinary. Like any where in the world you had good neighbor hoods and not so good neighborhoods. But no matter where I was in New Orleans I felt that southern comfort that every one talked about. Here is a city in America that almost seemed like it was another world. So much history and culture, and now most of it is gone. The people have suffered losses too unbelievable to ever describe.

On the night of September 5th 2005 I could not go to sleep knowing that so many people down in New Orleans and Mississippi were suffering from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. So that morning I started a Not for Profit Organization called "Lives To Save". This foundation is directed by me Yancey Arias, and here is what I am going to do with it. Next month I begin shooting the rest of my series THIEF in North Louisiana. On my days off I will go to the families who need help and give what ever financial support I have available to them through this foundation. I will write a check to several families I come across. We will take a picture together, and I will post those photos on this website so you can all see the lives you have saved.

You see, I just want to see for my self that any money I give to a friend in need gets to that friend. It's that simple. But honestly I can't do it alone. So if all my friends who know anything about me want to donate to this fund do so knowing that your money is getting to the people who need it. There are really great organizations that have been around for ever, and doing wonderful things like the Red Cross, or Oprah Winfrey's Angel Organization. I want to join in those efforts. Even if one family is saved I can sleep knowing that together we made that happen. For those of you who just can't pick up and leave then know I'll be down there on your behalf.

My work for this foundation will go on for years to come. It will take years for those cities to completely recover. As nature will continue to be unpredictable the "Lives To Save" Foundation will be forever growing and prepared to give its support to as many families in need as possible. The Lives you save will be forever grateful.

Yancey Arias

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