This is great news.

HOUSTON -- The number of hurricane evacuees staying at Houston shelters fell from 25,800 to just over 8,000 as people are finding relatives to stay with or alternative housing, relief officials said Wednesday. via Star Telegram
I was a bit worried that people would be just sitting there in shock and then what? I wondered, did this many people have no one to turn to? No family, no friends? It is wonderful to know that they are finding loved ones to stay with. Once someone is living with a more nurturing environment, then they can start to rebuild their lives.

One reason might be Continental Airlines has set up stations at each of the shelters, and Houston's largest airline is offering free tickets to any shelter resident seeking to relocate to one of 48 states. If one had family far away and no money, it was all but impossible to get there. SBC had set up phone lines in the Astrodome so people could call their relatives and friends, It does my heart good to see so many companies doing so much for these people. Houston also opened two empty schools today to accomodate the children at the Astrodome and sent school buses there today to pick them up for their first day of school here.

Nice.