As you’re probably aware, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday night and has given rise to catastrophic levels of flooding.
The storm has since been downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 1 storm, but torrential, life-threatening rain continues — and will for the next few days.
Rescue workers have responded to more than 2,000 calls to 911, helping people stranded in their cars and homes. The city’s downtown George R. Brown Convention Center is being opened as a shelter as floodwaters inundated the region.
Harvey:
•At least 2 people dead
•Over 1000 high water rescues conducted
•FEMA is "going to be there for years"https://t.co/47IeUzw2AV pic.twitter.com/EZpDW5nVnn— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) August 27, 2017
While we’re keeping Texas in our prayers, here are a few ways (via The Huffington Post) that we can all help those affected by this disaster.
1. Donate Money Or Volunteer
A plethora of organizations are appealing for donations to help them as they send volunteers and supplies to the hardest-hit areas.
These include the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, Save The Children, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Heart to Heart International.
The local Texas Diaper Bank is also putting together disaster relief kits for families with young children. You can donate here.
The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce is also raising funds to assist in recovery efforts in the Rockport and Fulton communities. You can donate here.
Crowdfunding site GlobalGiving has launched a hurricane relief fund aimed at gathering funds for local nonprofits in the storm-stricken region.
Animal shelters and rescue groups are taking in numerous pets displaced by the storm ? whether the animals got lost in the chaos, got left behind, or simply need temporary housing while their owners stay in evacuation shelters. Those groups include the SPCA of Texas, Austin Pets Alive!, Dallas Animal Services and the San Antonio Humane Society.
A number of online fundraising sites have also been set up through GoFundMe, with donations benefiting everything from hurricane and disaster relief groups to animals and families in need. The full list of fundraisers can be viewed on GoFundMe’s Hurricane Harvey Relief page.
2. Donate Blood
Blood centers expect a supply shortage because of the closure of some blood banks along the coast and the likely demand stemming from injuries sustained in the storm. Centers have put out calls for extra donors to help deal with the aftermath.
You can find donation centers or blood drives for the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center here or for Texas organization Carter BloodCare here.
And even if you’re not in Texas, you can search online for blood drives local to you or book an appointment via the Red Cross website.
3. Provide Accommodation For Evacuees
Airbnb has launched a portal so that the people who have been displaced by the hurricane can find a place to stay. It’s also waiving fees for people affected by the disaster. More details are available on the Airbnb website here.
If you’re aware of any other assistance efforts for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, feel free to drop the links in the comments.
