Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 OK, there are several things an individual can usefully do to help out in the wake of Hurricane Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast, To donate: Info on how to do this can be found at: > http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html < 1. I assume since you are reading this that you have a computer and this site lets you know how you can give cash over the computer, by snail-mail or through other mechanisms. Giving a cash donation is a small thing in terms of really helping them and in my view does not mean the giver has done much or all that a human being should do to feel good ab=out himself. However, this is what I have done and like the rest of life I just live with its meaning. 2. Cash is fungible and they can direct it where it needs to go to the extent they do that well. The Red Cross is also happy to accept donations of goods and items also, but these donation best go to your own locatlity and will almost certainly not get to folks in the Gulf Coast. One of the reasons that cash is far better than goods (water bottles, blankes, clothes from your closet) is not that they are not desperately needed there but that those items take time, effort and energy to move them there and time and energy are short right now. By all means if you have no cash but have goods to spare, give them to the Red Cross, but know that these items are best used and kept locally and if you want to remotely help on Katrina, cash is a good way to do it. B. Volunteering In general DO NOT COME TO THE GULF. Two of the problems right now are co-ordination and communication. Volunteering your time and effort are a great thing and folks should do that. However, the best way top volunteer your time to relieving the plight of the sick and homeless is in your own community. If you go down to volunteer there is a good chance that you will actually be part of the problem as you are another person to cooridinate and communicate with. If you do go down then the best thing an individual can do is to go there within a program where your efforts will be coordinated with ongoing efforts and a communication system is set up for your to find out what is happening (which is quite unclear in terms of the specifc level of helping out in many cases). If you are in the military follow your orders. If you are not in the military you might contact a religious group and ask them what they are doing and fit in there (and actually follow their orders which they will probably tell you come from God). Generally going there on your own to volunteer will not be helpful and may be harmful. C. Talk it up on th Net. Generally this effort is pretty meaningless in terms of doing anything real. Hpweer, i think that chatter actually creates some moral weight that gets folks who can really do something to do it and may act as a check and a balance to get them to do it well. It's not easy as I think many of the lack of good coordination and communication issues may stem from the fear of getting blamed for screwing up which many politicians feel because they have never dealt with a cat 5 Hurricane that led to an American City being flooded but such is life. The folks who stayed and rode out the storm did so for a variety of reasons which range from they were tourists who could not get out, to they were sick or had folks close to them who were sick and they could not get out, to they were poor and had a variety of challeneges from lack of transport to lack of intelligence so they could or did not get out, to thrill seekers who thought this would be a challenge and screwed up their estimate of how much help they would need, to evil people who are taking advantage of the situation to do bad things and I wish they dead. Who knows about the motivations of a particular in idividual and who cares about a broad brush assessment which falsely pretends that all the motivations described above were the same and deserve the same response. My only suggestion to those (including myself) who have a lot to say on the Internet about this is that we always consideer when we are spouting off about this as stupid as we think others may be here are we also saying that I have full knowledge and I am totally correct about this. I think not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Tate Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 Giving a cash donation is a small thing in terms of really helping them and in my view does not mean the giver has done much or all that a human being should do to feel good ab=out himself. However, this is what I have done and like the rest of life I just live with its meaning. Good job. I want to state it again here - someone mentioned looking into making donations through your employer, as many of them match either a portion, in whole, or exceed employee charitable donations. And cash donations are in no way a small thing. Everyone's situation is different; time to just do what you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 2, 2005 Author Share Posted September 2, 2005 Good job. I want to state it again here - someone mentioned looking into making donations through your employer, as many of them match either a portion, in whole, or exceed employee charitable donations. And cash donations are in no way a small thing. Everyone's situation is different; time to just do what you can. 426686[/snapback] Good thought on the opportunity for matches from your employer. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 3, 2005 Author Share Posted September 3, 2005 BUMP Our talk about NO and Katrina is interesting and even while people are still dying the Internet rarely has something to do with things which are real so this is an appropriate forum for the next discussion of why did this happen. However, all reports indicate it is better but still bad down there and if one can donate/volunteer to help your fellow human beings it is needed and it is good. I am bumping up this post to provide an internet access point to places where you can give to this effort. I and my family have and though it is inadequate I feel better for having done a small part. It really is the least I can do and I hope all of you give as well, whether it is sending the Red Cross cash or volunteering to help in your own community. After several days of seeing humans at their worst, if anyone has any positive stories they have heard about the Gulf Coast, feel free to share them in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaroni Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 just my $.02 ...... after being hit by hurricanes three times last year, the one organization that sticks out in my mind (and heart) is the Salvation Army. While I DON'T mean to say the Red Cross and the United Way are not worthy of your donations, the Salvation Army was first on the scene, and the last to leave when the disasters struck. They provided real immediate needs such as food water, shower facilities, ice, etc etc etc. They pulled semi tractor trailers set up as mini-disaster relief facilities right into the hardest hit neighborhoods. I must admit prior to last year I thought The S.A. was strictly a religious organization and was not familiar with what they did. These last couple of days all of the press has centered on donating to the Red Cross and United Way ........ but we need to keep the Salvation Army in our thoughts also ....... for me (and this is strictly a personal choice) my donations are going to the Salvation Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted September 3, 2005 Author Share Posted September 3, 2005 just my $.02 ...... after being hit by hurricanes three times last year, the one organization that sticks out in my mind (and heart) is the Salvation Army. While I DON'T mean to say the Red Cross and the United Way are not worthy of your donations, the Salvation Army was first on the scene, and the last to leave when the disasters struck. They provided real immediate needs such as food water, shower facilities, ice, etc etc etc. They pulled semi tractor trailers set up as mini-disaster relief facilities right into the hardest hit neighborhoods. I must admit prior to last year I thought The S.A. was strictly a religious organization and was not familiar with what they did. These last couple of days all of the press has centered on donating to the Red Cross and United Way ........ but we need to keep the Salvation Army in our thoughts also ....... for me (and this is strictly a personal choice) my donations are going to the Salvation Army. 428118[/snapback] Agreed, i think the religious community has done a lot of great work in terms of disaster relief and if someone wants to give an evangelical group like Salavation Army or inquiring whether your own hurch or religious institution has a program is a good way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losman Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 All the of US National Guards are having a Water Drive on labor day. People have to be hydrated to survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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