Supplies for Houston

[rodheadlee]

I haven't had time to read all of the threads. Where are y'all sending supplies for Houston? Do you have some place vetted already?

[rpn]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/donate-harvey-charities-scams.html?mcubz=3

You can donate to the LDS Humanitarian Fund, but I don't know whether it will just be counted towards what it already intends to send (like Red Cross and many other national relief organizations do.   But the link above also gives some local agencies.

[Rain]

I just got something about this from the Just Serve person over me (I am a,stake specialist). I've got a couple of things to do, but when I get on my computer in awhile I will let you know what it says.

[Robert F. Smith]

Donations for emergency response can be made to the Humanitarian Aid Fund. 100% of all donations are used to help people in need. Donated funds are used wherever the need is greatest. To learn more about efforts being made in Houston, Texas, visit the Mormon Newsroom.

https://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/ .

[rodheadlee]

3 hours ago, rpn said:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/donate-harvey-charities-scams.html?mcubz=3

You can donate to the LDS Humanitarian Fund, but I don't know whether it will just be counted towards what it already intends to send (like Red Cross and many other national relief organizations do.   But the link above also gives some local agencies.

I was wanting to donate some clothing and food from my food supply. I can box it up and ship at myself I just need to know where to ship it.

[rpn]

They don't want things.  No place to store, problem getting delivered.   They want cash.   Maybe there's a Houstonian, Beaumont member here who can deliver to someone if you send it to them.

Edited August 31, 2017 by rpn

[Darren10]

1 hour ago, rpn said:

They don't want things.  No place to store, problem getting delivered.   They want cash.   Maybe there's a Houstonian, Beaumont member here who can deliver to someone if you send it to them.

Clothes are still welcome. Many have lost their own clothing due to floods and will welcome clothing and blankets when they return to their homes.

I just read a Facebook post from a Facebook friend whose husband is going to extraordinary lengths to make sure his emplyees gat paid for a week despite them not working for a week come tomorrow. Big stores are doing the same. That's very cool. Cash is in need but I've no idea how to deliver cash but since stores are reopening cash would be very welcome. 

[Darren10]

3 hours ago, rodheadlee said:

I was wanting to donate some clothing and food from my food supply. I can box it up and ship at myself I just need to know where to ship it.

I don't have details but a place known as the NRG Stadium is the largest facility designated as a homeless shelter in the Houston area. Here's their contact info. 

http://www.nrgpark.com/contact-us/

You can also coordinate with your local LDS leaders using Robert F. Smith's post's information. 

[Rain]

The church has sent a letter to the North America Southwest Area priesthood leadership and is asking people not to be organizing drives etc. They have found, from experience, that often items are turned away or tossed out to make room for other items that are needed more. People want to give items, but often that becomes more of a burden than a help. What is needed most right now is money to buy items closer to the area. We are being encouraged to donate at ldsphilantropies.org .

In the Phoenix area some of these organizations that know better how to handle this will be putting needs on JustServe.org. Midwest food bank and United Blood are working on that now. I'm assuming organizations in other areas will be doing that as well.

Please do NOT call charities to see what is needed. They are overwhelmed answering the phone right now and can't get done what is needed.  Instead, go to JustServe.org and volunteer through the site (make sure to click on the "volunteer" button). This way you can still give items, but the charities don't have to be taking on all the calls.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Rain

[deli_llama]

Exactly what Rain said. Donate money directly to the charities and don't call them right now. 👍🏽

A family in our building let me know that iTunes was set up to take donations directly for the Red Cross. I guess they had a family meeting and the kids decided to spend their iTunes spending allowance with the Red Cross. They also are planning fund raisers as a family. That is pretty cool and direct, I think. Lots of ways to help.

Something else that is worth considering, often overlooked and helpful beyond knowing, is to adopt a cat or dog from the Texas shelters. Normally the animal shelters in Texas are close to capacity in untroubled times. With the flooding they have sent out what animals they could to other shelters around the country. They did this to make safe the ones that were in the shelters at the time of the flood, and also to make more room for the local animals that were being rescued.

Understandably families are reluctant to part with the family pets, often refusing to depart without the assurance that the animals would be sheltered and cared for nearby, and could then later retrieved and returned to the family. This puts both the victims and the rescue workers in more danger. By making room in the local shelters this concern is addressed and it keeps the whole family unit together in the end.

So, if you have it in you to help in a long-term or permanent way, please contact your local shelter to see if they have received any of the animals from the  Texas shelters, and consider adopting. It really does help the flood families and their beloved pets. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by deli_llama

[Calm]

I wouldn't mind a cat, but I don't think my husband or the dog would go along with it.