Small Things with a Huge Impact – How you can help Texas
I’ve been hunkered down at home since Thursday evening watching Hurricane Harvey unfold and my heart continues to break for this disaster that is far from over. I’ve called Houston home for the past 4 years, and I’ve grown to love this city more and more every year. Witnessing the flooding firsthand and then seeing the brave men and women volunteer with their personally owned boats and trucks has filled my heart with such a deep appreciation for the Texas way. The Nation has been so incredibly divided, but in a time of need, none of that matters and we’ve somehow managed to help complete strangers in life threatening situations. With that said, I’m tired of feeling helpless, here are a few things you can do to help us overcome this storm.
Donate
HEB has added those familiar tear pads on their registers, so that customers can add $1, $3, or $5 to their grocery bill at checkout. They’ve committed to donating $100,000 to victims impacted by Harvey. Not to mention sending their emergency 18 wheelers full of food, water, and supplies to areas impacted. Select locations also ran out of regular unleaded gas, and instead of forcing customers into paying more for premium, they price matched their unleaded. God Bless HEB.
Contribute through your employer. Certain companies have an employee matching program, where the company will match 1:1 employee donations, so your money goes further.
Text “UWFLOOD” to 41444 to donate to the United Way Flood Fund
Text “HARVEY” to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross, they are also seeking volunteers.
Crowdfunding site Global Giving is attempting to raise $2 million for funds that will “exclusively support local relief and recovery efforts from this storm.”
Apple is letting users donate to the American Red Cross directly on iTunes and App Store. (This is the safest route if you are in Houston, continue to hunker down at home.)
Red Cross is also seeking blood donations. Texas organization Carter BloodCare and South Texas Blood and Tissue Center are also seeking blood donations.
Want to ensure your dollars go straight to their cause? Charity Navigator compiled a list of what they consider to be the best charities to give to in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
Provide Shelter
If you are in a position to shelter a family impacted by Hurricane Harvey, AirBNB is waiving all fees for those impacted. Host your home for free here.
Hundreds of pets have been displaced and may need temporary fostering. If you can’t host a pet, consider donating food, crates, bedding, or cash (which will likely go towards the costly requirement of vaccinating and spaying/neutering all pets taken in).
If you can contribute to disaster relief efforts, the following organizations come recommended for their work with animals.
Stay in touch with neighbors and get to know those in your building. Offer to help take out an elderly neighbor’s trash or help them take their pet out. Relatives who normally help them may not be able to get to them anytime soon.
Gather Supplies
Do not leave your home for any reason, in the meantime gather items that local shelters are requesting:
- Baby formula, baby food, diapers
- Full size toiletries/hygiene products including feminine products
- Blankets, pillows, sleeping bags
- Clean socks and gently used clothes (Some shelters don’t need anymore used clothes, check with them before dropping off)
- Pet crates, pet food, leashes, food bowls
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- Water and nonperishable food
- Children’s games and books
- Hand sanitizer
- Towels
- Wheelchairs
Help Local Food Banks
Contact your local food bank and see how you can volunteer or what resources they need. Local grocers may provide collection points for donations. If you are in Houston please only drop off items if you can do so safely. They are currently seeking:
- Pop top canned meat and fish
- Powdered milk
- Cereal
- Canned fruit
- Fruit cups
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Cleaning supplies such as bleach and paper towels
Here is the contact information for all local food banks:
Houston Food Bank
832-369-9390
houstonfoodbank.org
Galveston Food Bank
409-945-4232
galvestoncountyfoodbank.org
Food Bank of the Golden Crescent (Victoria)
361-578-0591
victoriafoodbank.org
Closed Friday
Corpus Christi Food Bank
361-887-6291
foodbankcc.com
Southeast Texas Food Bank (Beaumont)
409-839-8777
setxfoodbank.org
Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley (Pharr)
956-682-8101
foodbankrgv.com
Brazos Valley Food Bank (Bryan)
979-779-3663
bvfb.org
Central Texas Food Bank (Austin)
512-282-2111
centraltexasfoodbank.org
San Antonio Food Bank
210-337-3663
safoodbank.org
For more information on all of these food banks head to feedingtexas.org.
Support Local Businesses
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is matching American Red Cross donations up to $50,000.
Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale of Gallery Furniture opened his I-45 and Grand Parkway stores for evacuees to stay, including their pets.
JJ Watt quickly passed his fundraising goal of $200,00 in the first two hours. Watt then tweeted that he was raising the fundraising goal to $500,000 $10+ million!! All previous goals were crushed!!
Queen Bey spoke with the Houston Chronicle and has promised that she is working on something big through her organization Beygood to help her hometown.
Volunteer
George R. Brown Convention Center
❤️
Let’s not forget the Houston businesses that are offering free food to all victims impacted, I will be taking notes and will personally visit their restaurants as soon as it is safe to. This is a working list of what I’ve been able to compile – will add on as I hear of more great things the city of Houston and surrounding are doing! Stay safe!
@shewillsay <3
