OT: Hurricane Katrina, Helpful Information

HI Everyone:

On my honeymoon in 1999, Larry and I were stranded on St. Maarten after Hurricane Lenny roared through. I know first hand what it is like to be without food or water for more than 3 days. I didn't know what Non-Perishable food was. I do now. However, this time a category 5 hurricane hit the US mainland as opposed to a foreign country.

Here are some links that we can donate time, money, supplies, or just an idea of coordinating a diaper/formula food drive in our local areas.

I found these links through my local news channel website:

Additional organizations doing work in the gulf and accepting monetary donations:

American Red Cross

1-800-HELP NOW (English) 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)

America's Second Harvest

1-800-344-8070

Operation Blessing

1-800-436-6348

These organizations are accepting monetary donations and volunteers:

Adventist Community Services

1-800-381-7171

Catholic Charities, USA

1-800-919-9338

Christian Disaster Response

941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554

Christian Reformed World Relief Community

1-800-848-5818

Church World Service

1-800-297-1516 Ex: 222

Convoy Of Hope

417-823-8998

Lutheran Disaster Response

1-800-638-3522

Mennonite Disaster Service

717-859-2210

Nazarene Disaster Response

1-888-256-5886

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

1-800-872-3283

Salvation Army

1-800-SAL-ARMY

Southern Baptist Convention-Disaster Relief

1-800-462-8657 Ex: 6440

United Methodist Committee on Relief

1-800-554-8583

A $100 donation to The Salvation Army will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water and one household clean-up kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies. Donate now...

HOUSTON -- American Red Cross Shelters Accepting Donations:

Items Needed:

• Food and drinks

• Clothing

• Disposable diapers

• Games and toys

• Sheets and blankets

• Monetary donations

Shelter Locations:

• Baytown Community Center, 2407 Market Street, Baytown

• Fairmont Park Baptist Church, 10401 Belfast, La Porte

• First Baptist Church, 1229 Avenue J, Huntsville

• First Baptist Church, 906 Avenue A, Katy

• First United Methodist Church, 4308 W. Dallas, Conroe

• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 18220 Upper Bay Road-Nassau Bay, Houston

• Memorial Baptist Church, 600 W. Sterling, Baytown

• Mont Belvieu Senior Center, 11607 Eagle Drive, Mont Belvieu

• Moody Methodist Church, 2803 53rd Street, Galveston

• New Life Central, 2104 Underwood, La Porte

• Spring Tabernacle, 3034 F.M. 2920, Spring

• St. Mary's Catholic Church, 701 Church St., Brenham

• St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 6005 N, Wayside Drive, Houston

For more information on American Red Cross shelters in the Houston area, click here or call (800) GET-INFO or (713) 313-5480.

Donate To Houston Food Bank:

The Houston Food Bank, 3811 Eastex Freeway, is in need of the following items to help Katrina victims. Local

2 will hold a food drive Friday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. For more information, call (713) 223-3700.

• Paper goods such as plates, cups, diapers and tissue

• Cleaning supplies, such as bleach, Top Job, Mr. Clean

• Bottled water (no glass containers)

• Single serving snacks such as Pop-Tarts and cereal bars

• Peanut butter

• Heat and eat foods such as chili, stew, canned pasta with sauce and canned vegetables

• Any other single serving foods that don't require refrigeration

• MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)

• Baby formula

• Personal hygiene products

Coast Guard Asks For Donations For Rescuers

The U.S. Coast Guard in Houston is asking for donations to help about 50 workers in New Orleans on rescue efforts who are running out of basic supplies. Donations can be dropped off at the Coast Guard office at Ellington Field.

Items in need include:

• Toilet paper, wipes

• Soap

• First Aid kits, bug spray, foot powder

• Bottled water, sports drinks, coffee

• Power bars, granola bars, cups of dry soup

• Sleeping bags and pillows

• D and AA batteries

Companies, Organizations Accepting Donated Items:

• Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 2403 Holcombe Blvd., (713) 741-8234

• Baytown Junior High, 7707 Bayway Drive, (281)

424-2582

• Sugar Creek Baptist Church, 13213 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, (281) 242-2858

• Park at Voss Apartments, 2424 S. Voss Road (at Westheimer), (713) 268-3000

• Alvin Community College, 3110 Mustang Road, Alvin,

77511

• Houston Humane Society, 14700 Almeda Road, (713)

433-6421

• Houston-Area Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, 900 Portway Drive

• West University Baptist Church, 6218 Auden Street, (713) 668-2319

• Crosspoint Church, 4601 Bellaire Blvd.

• Bumbera's Performance Associates, 630 Highway 6 South, 77079, (281) 493-9300

• Wesley Gardens Apartments, 8700 Gustine Lane,

77031, (713) 270-5555

• Julia C. Hester House, 2020 Solo, 77020, (713)

672-2573

• Westlake Fire Department, (281) 960-5014

• Lakewood Church, 3700 Southwest Freeway, Accepting donations Sept. 1 and 2, (713) 635-4154

• Church of Christ, 1704 Weber, (713) 864-5667

• Lansdowne-Moody, (713) 672-8366, is collecting food and clothing at the four locations below.

1 8445 East Freeway, 77029 2 11810 S. Sam Houston Parkway West, 77031 3 1600 FM 528, Webster, 77598 4 23738 Hempstead Highway, Cypress, 77429

• Houston-area YMCAs and KSBJ FM are collecting gift cards to help victims pay for gas, food and other items.

• Impact Houston Church of Christ, 1704 Weber, (832)

641-5900

• Consignor's Club, 22704 Loop 494 Ste D, Humble,

77339, (281) 359-9090

Accepting Monetary Donations Only:

• American Red Cross, (800) HELP NOW (435-7669)

• Salvation Army: (800) SAL-ARMY (725-2769)

• Greater New Orleans Foundation

• America's Second Harvest: (800) 344-8070

• Adventist Community Services: (800) 381-7171

• Catholic Charities, USA: (703) 549-1390

• Christian Disaster Response: (941) 956-5183 or (941) 551-9554

• Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: (800)

848-5818

• Church World Service: (800) 297-1516

• Convoy of Hope: (417) 823-8998

• Lutheran Disaster Response: (800) 638-3522

• Nazarene Disaster Response: (888) 256-5886

• Operation Blessing: (800) 436-6348

• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: (800) 872-3283

• Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief: (800)

462-8657, ext. 6440

• United Methodist Committee on Relief: (800)

554-8583

• Better Business Bureau: Check Out Charity Before Giving

Another place that will get good into the disater area Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Conway municipal governments are collecting donations to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina as a joint project.

Donations may be delivered to Town Hall or Piggly Wiggly in Surfside Beach before 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1. The city of Myrtle Beach will transport all donations on Friday, Sept. 2.

CASH: Make your check payable to "American Red Cross

- Katrina Relief Fund."

MEDICINE: aspirin, Tylenol, Band-Aids, cough syrup, Benadryl, Hydrocortisone ointment, sun screen lotion, insect repellant, antiseptic cleanser, iodine

FOOD: Non-perishable foods that require little or no preparation and no refrigeration, canned foods (with a can opener), water, cold drinks, disposable plates, cups, utensils, napkins

CLOTHES: new or good condition, clean clothes, T-shirts, hats, sun visors, shorts, sweaters, sweatshirts, sleep wear, under clothes, socks, flip-flops, tennis shoes

For more information, contact Debbie Ellis, (843)

650-4131, ext. 0, or e-mail snipped-for-privacy@surfsidebeach.org.

_________________________________________

Let's show the south that we care and that we trying to send help as quickly as possible.

I know it is the season where we are going through our clothes that we don't want or need or fit into. How about we wash them, sort them, and walk over to our local American Red Cross and tell them it is for the Gulf Coast residents.

Your children can get in on the action too. Remind them that children have lost their toys and maybe those toys that they don't play with would make another child really happy.

You can take a tax deduction while cleaning out your closets.

It's just a thought.

Love, Kate