By monica s
in News & Announcements, RESOURCES
on Aug 30, 2017

Hurricane Harvey is a Climate Change Disaster. Here’s How You Can Help …

 

For those of us watching Hurricane Harvey from the sidelines, the feeling of helplessness is as palpable as our sense of urgency.

Meteorologist Eric Holhaus has been a leading voice on Harvey coverage. In a recent article for the Politico, Holhaus described this disaster as a result of “a world that has decided, over and over, that it doesn’t want to take climate change seriously.”

But what can be done to assist in the aftermath of what the Washington Post has reported as “the most extreme rain event in U.S. history“?

Here’s a start …

DCEFF has compiled a list of donation and relief efforts in and around Texas to assist those affected by the storm.

No matter where you are in the world, here’s how you can get involved:

 

  • Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, established by Mayor Sylvester Turner, will accept tax deductible flood relief donations for victims that have been affected by the recent floods. The fund will be housed at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity.
  • Global Giving, a crowdfunding platform for humanitarian and charity causes, has set up the Hurricane Harvey initiative, and has set a goal of $2,000,000 for food and other primary necessities to people hit by the hurricane and floods. The fund will work by directly financing local organizations vetted by Global Giving. Once initial necessities are covered, remaining money will go toward reconstruction efforts.
  • The Houston Food Bank and other food banks like, Central Texas Food Bank, Galveston County Food Bank, and Corpus Christi Food Bank are asking for nonperishable staples like canned meat and dry goods, as well as cleaning supplies. They also accept online donations.
  • The Texas Diaper Bank‘s mission is to address the diaper gap and its impact on individuals in crisis, particularly working to meet the basic needs of vulnerable babies, children with disabilities and seniors.
  • Carter BloodCare is collecting blood donations from people in the area, as several hospitals are reporting blood shortages. O negative and O positive donations are particularly helpful, but people of all blood types are encouraged to donate. Locations here. You can also give blood through the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (210-731-5590).
  • Austin Pets Alive! has been helping shelters in the direct line of Hurricane Harvey, working with shelters to transport as many vulnerable and abandoned pets as possible to APA!
  • The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas is also helping displaced animals.You can also sign up to adopt a displaced animal at www.spca.org/foster.
  • The Texas Department of Agriculture’s STAR Fund is made up entirely of private donations that go to farmers and ranchers affected by the storm.
  • AirBnB allows you to host someone in need by listing your home for free, with no service fees to anyone. Right now, most of the listings are in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. If you’re in any of those cities—or another part of the state that’s not experiencing flooding—you might consider listing your space so displaced people have more options.
  • Trusted World in Dallas is operating three shelters for evacuees. They need donations, supplies (clean clothing, non-perishable food, toiletries, diapers, and baby formula), and volunteers to help sort out the things that people have dropped off.
  • The DoSomething.org blog is also a great resource for those interested in staying involved and close to coverage.

 

Photo: OES-16 captured this geocolor image of Hurricane Harvey at 8:02 a.m. CDT on August 26, 2017.

Photo Credit: CIRA