Online - September 01, 2005

Hurricane Relief

How You Can Help

Imagine: You lose everything. Toothbrush, bed, underwear. Favorite teddy bear, graduation photos,  Grandma’s wedding dress. Maybe even your entire home.

The devastation wrought by Katrina is almost incomprehensible. Billions of dollars in damage. Hundreds of thousands are homeless, living in temporary shelters with uncertain futures.

The outpouring of cash and compassion has been as historical as the storm that spurred it. But the need is still great. Here are a few places to start:

The Red Cross
What they provide: shelter, food, and counseling.

AmeriCares
What they provide: relief shipments of cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, and other basics.

America’s Second Harvest
What they provide: hunger relief.
They also need: donations of food, transportation, and products (bottled water, utensils, bleach, disinfecting household cleaning items, and diapers).

Habitat for Humanity
What they provide: repairs to homes damaged by the flood and temporary shelter and new houses for low-income families whose homes were destroyed.

Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
What they provide: food and shelter for pets that have been separated from their owners.

North Shore Animal League of America
What they provide: transportation, vet care, food, shelter, and other rescue services for pets abandoned after the hurricane.
They also need:donations of food and cargo vans to transport animals back from devastated areas.

Remember that even the smallest donation is a step toward rebuilding.