More Than 50 Evacuees Leave Raleigh To Be With Families

While the center provided a roof over their heads, the comfort of home was missing.

"It's kind of scary, you know," said Ronald Brown.

Around 5 p.m., the 46-year-old left for his grandparents' home in Natchez, Miss.

"I'll get to see my family again and that's the only thing important to me," Brown said. "It's a blessing."

The evacuees used money from the American Red Cross to get to relatives all across the country. With Red Cross travel discounts, another 80 people at the relief center are interested in doing the same thing.

"It gives them the emotional support, that nice easy chair you want to get into at 5 o'clock when you get home every day," said Alan McKinney, with the American Red Cross.

It is also a more permanent place to stay until the New Orleans residents can get back to Louisiana.

Brown chose a $120 bus ticket over a plane ticket.

The Bourbon Street bouncer wants to use the time to reflect and think about what is next for him.

"If it wasn't for these nice people here, I don't know how I would have made it. They really helped me out a lot," Brown said.