The cooperative movement's motto is People Helping People. This post summarizes hours of research on how you can help the victims of the flooding in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey; it's an op-to-date list of resources that are all 100% legitimate. Please help by sharing this post, because there's no better time in the US for people to help people than right now. If you're new to this blog, keep in mind that we also publish every post in Spanish.
All the organizations listed in this article are verified, honest non-profits with years and even
decades of history helping people. I have put this list of resources together so that you can help, knowing that your help will be used for its intended purpose.
Now that Houston is covered in water and Harvey has moved on to flood parts of Louisiana, there are many of you who want to help. As always, monetary donations are the easiest, yet I know that many people end up not helping because you’re afraid of getting scammed for our money by one of those fake charities that pop up like mushrooms after every natural disaster.
Getting stuff there: FEMA is managing volunteers and hundreds of types of donations get around the flood area. They ask that volunteers and donors get started via the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a centralized resource to manage every type of help.
The Texas Diaper Bank needs donations, especially because they don’t just help with
diapers: they are distributing donated baby diapers, trues, but also adult ones and they have created hundreds of basic health/hygiene kits for kids, youngsters, and the elderly. You can take physical donations to their headquarters, or mail them there. The address is 5415 Bandera Road, Suite 504, San Antonio, TX 78238. Cash donations can be made via their webpage. They are also looking for volunteers to sort and make kits for distributing. You can come by their headquarters at any time; just park in the back and stay clear of the front doors, where donations come in.
Save the Children is trying to provide positive relief to Harvey’s smallest victims by offering clean spaces for them to play and be, qualified people to watch over and care for them, and by providing diapers, food and clothing for the kids, plus medical assistance. To donate or help, visit the Harvey section of their webpage.
Basic household item and clothing donations. When thinking about people collecting for disaster relief, I always remember that scene from the brilliant comedy Clueless, where one person donates her skis and canned pickled snails, and another his weed-smoking pipes for survivors of a hurricane. In the film this is funny, but let’s be clear that in real life we can’t just donate things we don’t want. If you want to donate clothing and useful items, think of life in Texas and Louisiana, and that fall is coming; these two facts will be able to pick on what will be most needed in the next few months. The same applies if you’re going to coordinate a large-scale collection. It’s always good to remind people to think of what victims will need, not what they look to get rid of.
The Salvation Army is providing housing, food and clothing to victims right now. That’s the type of donations they need, as well as housewares and furniture that people are going to need in the near future. To contact them you can check out their website, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or send in a text message the word STORM to the number 51555.
Blood and tissue donations. If you’re in Texas, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has extended donation hours in the San Antonio office because they have great need of both blood and tissue donations. If you don’t live in Texas, you can always use your local Red Cross for giving blood. Here you can find your nearest one.
Pets: a couple of days ago I ran into a heartbreaking report on how pets suffered during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when their owners had to be evacuated and leave them behind on their own. If not for the huge hearts of hundreds of volunteers that realized what was happening and, under the coordination of the Humane Society managed to rescue and provide shelter, food and care for hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets, most of which would have perished in those weeks after the hurricane.
The Humane Society of Houston and San Antonio need help desperately right now. And the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is coordinating rescues, and needs donations and help. You can call their emergency hotline to find out what they need, and to report an animal or animals that need help, at 713-861-3010. They also accept money donations via their webpage.
If you think of any other legitimate organization that can use help, or a special type of donation that is needed and I didn’t mention here, please share it via the comments below, or send me an email to social@gmail.com and I will publish it as part of the blog.
Now that Houston is covered in water and Harvey has moved on to flood parts of Louisiana, there are many of you who want to help. As always, monetary donations are the easiest, yet I know that many people end up not helping because you’re afraid of getting scammed for our money by one of those fake charities that pop up like mushrooms after every natural disaster.
So, let’s start there.
To give money and when in doubt, the Red Cross is the place to go; with them you’re never wrong. This is the page for helping directly for Hurricane Harvey victims.
There are other ways of helping. Here’s a list of what and how you can contribute with the most needed things:
The Corpus Christi and Houston Food Banks both need food desperately. If you are going to start a local food collection but don’t know who to help, Feeding Texas is distributing the food based on how much is needed where.
To give money and when in doubt, the Red Cross is the place to go; with them you’re never wrong. This is the page for helping directly for Hurricane Harvey victims.
There are other ways of helping. Here’s a list of what and how you can contribute with the most needed things:
The Corpus Christi and Houston Food Banks both need food desperately. If you are going to start a local food collection but don’t know who to help, Feeding Texas is distributing the food based on how much is needed where.
Getting stuff there: FEMA is managing volunteers and hundreds of types of donations get around the flood area. They ask that volunteers and donors get started via the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a centralized resource to manage every type of help.
The Texas Diaper Bank needs donations, especially because they don’t just help with
Save the Children is trying to provide positive relief to Harvey’s smallest victims by offering clean spaces for them to play and be, qualified people to watch over and care for them, and by providing diapers, food and clothing for the kids, plus medical assistance. To donate or help, visit the Harvey section of their webpage.
Basic household item and clothing donations. When thinking about people collecting for disaster relief, I always remember that scene from the brilliant comedy Clueless, where one person donates her skis and canned pickled snails, and another his weed-smoking pipes for survivors of a hurricane. In the film this is funny, but let’s be clear that in real life we can’t just donate things we don’t want. If you want to donate clothing and useful items, think of life in Texas and Louisiana, and that fall is coming; these two facts will be able to pick on what will be most needed in the next few months. The same applies if you’re going to coordinate a large-scale collection. It’s always good to remind people to think of what victims will need, not what they look to get rid of.
The Salvation Army is providing housing, food and clothing to victims right now. That’s the type of donations they need, as well as housewares and furniture that people are going to need in the near future. To contact them you can check out their website, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or send in a text message the word STORM to the number 51555.
Blood and tissue donations. If you’re in Texas, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center has extended donation hours in the San Antonio office because they have great need of both blood and tissue donations. If you don’t live in Texas, you can always use your local Red Cross for giving blood. Here you can find your nearest one.
Pets: a couple of days ago I ran into a heartbreaking report on how pets suffered during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when their owners had to be evacuated and leave them behind on their own. If not for the huge hearts of hundreds of volunteers that realized what was happening and, under the coordination of the Humane Society managed to rescue and provide shelter, food and care for hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets, most of which would have perished in those weeks after the hurricane.
The Humane Society of Houston and San Antonio need help desperately right now. And the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is coordinating rescues, and needs donations and help. You can call their emergency hotline to find out what they need, and to report an animal or animals that need help, at 713-861-3010. They also accept money donations via their webpage.
If you think of any other legitimate organization that can use help, or a special type of donation that is needed and I didn’t mention here, please share it via the comments below, or send me an email to social@gmail.com and I will publish it as part of the blog.
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