Helping Houston from Missouri
It has been over a week since a Category 4 hurricane named Harvey first made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas. In the days that followed, the nation watched as Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston and its surrounding communities, leaving a path of unimaginable devastation in its wake. Thousands of men, women and children have been displaced, their homes and businesses destroyed. So many have lost so much, and they now need our help.
To ensure volunteer and donation efforts are meeting the actual needs of Hurricane Harvey’s victims, FEMA has compiled a list of the most effective ways to help. FEMA discourages donations of unsolicited goods, such as used clothing, household items, medicine or perishable food at this time. Instead, FEMA says cash donations to trusted, reputable, voluntary or charitable organizations can better address urgently developing needs. With cash in hand, volunteer agencies and faith-based organization have more flexibility and can purchase needed resources immediately. Cash also helps pump money back into local economies, helping businesses recover faster. Blood donations are also needed.
For more volunteer options, FEMA suggests going to the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) website. Also, the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (Texas VOAD) has a list of vetted disaster relief organizations providing services to survivors. FEMA wants to remind people not to self-deploy to volunteer in the disaster areas; potential volunteers should instead team up with a charitable organization to help the victims.
When it comes to natural disasters of this magnitude, we must remember that affected communities will need help for months and years, not days, after the waters recede. Truly, the recovery period is only just beginning. I ask each of you reading this to please keep the victims of Hurricane Harvey in your thoughts and prayers.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.