News: Hurricane Katrina Donations
August 31st, 2005 by Laurie BarakHere is a list of links to web sites accepting online donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina via secure credit card transactions. Please note, your Blogger is not associated with or affiliated with any of these organizations; I simply want to direct my readers to places where they can donate to the disaster relief efforts.
From Craiglist: The Katrina Aid page has lots of places you can donate, many of them church organizations throughout the United States.
You can always contact The American Red Cross, United Way and The Salvation Army. Please note, due to many people going to these web sites to make donations they may show up as unavailable on your web browser. Please keep trying, especially during non-peak hours in your time zone.
You can contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency as well. Here is a press release from FEMA:
Voluntary organizations are seeking cash donations to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states, according to Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. But, volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a voluntary agency.
“Cash donations are especially helpful to victims,” Brown said. “They allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require.”
Volunteer agencies provide a wide variety of services after disasters, such as clean up, childcare, housing repair, crisis counseling, sheltering and food.
“We’re grateful for the outpouring of support already,” Brown said. “But it’s important that volunteer response is coordinated by the professionals who can direct volunteers with the appropriate skills to the hardest-hit areas where they are needed most. Self-dispatched volunteers and especially sightseers can put themselves and others in harm’s way and hamper rescue efforts.”
Please do not forget our furry friends who have been affected by the hurricane. Noah’s Wish, “a unique animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to rescuing and sheltering animals in disasters thoughout the United States and Canada,” is also accepting donations for the rescue of animals in disaster areas. The site offers many links including information on how you can foster animals, volunteer or how you can make a monetary donations. Noah’s Wish is working with pet food manufacturers to get food for the animals; their greatest needs appear to be foster families and monetary donations.
Kind thanks to my friends in Canada who have donated to the relief efforts. I am sure your donations will be greatly appreciated by your American neighbors in need.
My heart goes out to everyone affect by Hurricane Katrina. May you all find the strength, help, relief and comfort you need during this difficult time.
