Meanwhile, on the state of Louisiana home page, you can get this helpful scrolling reminder...

"Hurricane season is hear, are you ready... read more"


http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/

HRPuffinStuff

I'm not suggesting that the government needs the money, I'm suggesting that the gov. HAS the money and hence should be responsible for taking care of the disaster relief. The Red Cross should do everything they can and then hand the Feds a bill at the end, rather than being forced to beg.

Mikehell:

While my heart goes out to the people of New Orleans, shouldn't the US Federal government be able to cover this on it's own? Seriously, the war in Iraq is costing 5 billion a month, surely they don't need to rely on individual donations for domestic disaster relief?

sad ain't it? you answered your first question with your second.

Here's the deal..... give to a church you KNOW has a portion of their proceed going to the World Mission... there you are (amost) assured that they give annually to a good cause... whether it be to a global mission or a mission right here in the states. The American Red Cross only moves 7% of their proceeds to the actual cause. All others, what can we guarantee?? Churches, whatever denomination choose to give to their respective associations. Every week, give $1.00 or more. This way, you give and give and give ..... saves you from having to wait for each payched to give one lump sum. And you know you have done your part... and THE RIGHT THING!

I wish this was up earlier..
KHOU in Houston had a phone donation drive this afternoon, and my Texas brethren opened up their wallets to the tune of 6.3 million..

Does having an older sister (who i despise) being forced back home beace of Katrina count as being a victim? Because if it does, i will take anything. All proceeds will go to get her out of the house. And for beer and/or weed to make me forget shes here.

James,

We feel your pain. I can't supply you with any weed or beer, but I'll gladly send you a plastic bag that you can tie around your head.

mrswelborne:

Here's the deal..... give to a church you KNOW has a portion of their proceed going to the World Mission... there you are (amost) assured that they give annually to a good cause... whether it be to a global mission or a mission right here in the states. The American Red Cross only moves 7% of their proceeds to the actual cause. All others, what can we guarantee?? Churches, whatever denomination choose to give to their respective associations. Every week, give $1.00 or more. This way, you give and give and give ..... saves you from having to wait for each payched to give one lump sum. And you know you have done your part... and THE RIGHT THING!

I certainly disagree with this. I have seen the numbers on the local churches (mega churches only) and very few pass more than 10% on to other projects outside of their own buildings and needs. When they do it is often for worthless shiat like bible drives, sending 10,000 bibles to hungry people, not very effective. Stop financing the local preachers new Cadillac and Pat Robertsons billions.

The ARC received an A- (Excellent, more than 60% going to program services with less than 40% for administrative and fund raising) grade from the AIP. They continually rate well on other surveys.

Please stop perpetuating this myth against the ARC. By the way you can also donate to your local chapter and know that your dollars stay in your community. If you want a xian flavor then donate to the Salvation army or the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (not sure if that is the name but they are the group that works with the ARC which coordinates feeding disaster victims).

Shameless plug: This Friday (9/2) just about every Krispy Kreme store in Southern California will give you a dozen glazed doughnuts for a minimum $10 Red Cross donation (limit one per person). Proceeds are for hurricane relief. A Red Cross rep in the stores will take your donation and give you a coupon for the free dozen. I'm sure most good folks will donate anyway, but damn, free Krispy Kreme doughnuts? I work at one of those stores and just got the memo on that today. I hope we get cleaned out of doughnuts this Friday.

why arent any foreign countries helping us? All they're doing now is saying "The US should make more oil refineries" and "Praise Allah for the calamity that struck american soil!".

From now on, I say we fark other countries. We helped them.. where the hell are they now?

Please donate to my hurricane fund. Send money to my paypal account. I promise to use the funds to drink hurricanes or buy tickets to Carolina Hurricanes games.

Can I donate my tragically hip cd's that predicted this disaster back in '91

New Orleans is Sinking

EvilToni: >Katrina Info Exchange Board, courtesy of phoxxy

Find shelters, list shelters, share information with others

Thank you so much for mentioning.

The forum is supposed to be featured on our local news and will get non-Fark traffic to the site. I am trying to keep up with cross referencing information and posting FEMA information (phone numbers and what not) as well as other important data.

I live in a Big Ten college town. There's a lot of people people here who are from the south or have family there. If you have ANY information or reports of what you have heard from families checking in or have any helpful information, please post your information.

There are inquiries as to the conditions in certain areas where they have not heard from loved ones yet. Since the major news networks haven't taken pictures or reported on all areas affected, there are a lot of worried students here, family and friends who have loved ones in the affected areas. Your information -- even if second hand through another loved one affected by this -- will be greatly appreciated.

The board is meant to be a place to exchange information. I have devided forums by State and then by major metro ares that have been affected. There is a general forum for each state for all the other places NOT listed in the news.

Also if you need ANYTHING, please post in the forums as well. I have been combing the threads here on Fark looking for those who are in need and trying to copy their request to the forums so non-Farkers will get to see the request as well.

Like i have said before. There are a lot of people up north here who want to help beyond donating money. Just say the word.

Again: http://www.mystfire.net/katforum/

New domain forward is http://www.katforumonline.com and should be working now for most people. It will forward people to the above link.

I donated $$ to the Red Cross yesterday. I will do so again on Friday when I have extra money to donate again.
Tonight, however the stench of ignorance on this thread is burning my nostrils.
And if I was in one of these devastated towns with no $$ or hope of help you are damn right I would be looting. Stealing pampers for my kids, water and canned food. Anything to convince my mind that I have some hope of survival. Probably guns too, to defend my home from the "real" thugs who are ready to rob me for whatever I might have left.

nbrfwhoooo: I don't mean to come off as crass, or a jerk by any means. I wish to donate through the site offered from a fellow farker spookcomix. Granted, right now, I only have about only $200 for funds I can donate other than my normal charities while (horrible choice of words/not trying to be funny) staying afloat. I was hoping if other fellow farkers can tell me if this is legit. No offense to you of course, spookcomix, but my channel is usually the Red Cross or Salvation Army in these situations.

/Too bad I'm jaded I have to ask if this is a scam
//Honestly, no offense

It is legit. Otherwise, Drew wouldn't have it on the main page. spookcomix did this for the tsunami victims as well. He posts documentation for proof of the money going to Americares.

Not everyone has a credit card or want to use their card online. Since Red Cross, Salvation Army and the othe rmajor charities and relief organization don't offer alternative forms of payment, it is wonderful what he is doing.

He's not twisting anyone's arm. Give where you feel comfortable. It's going to the victims either way.

http://www.charitywatch.org/ is one I had heard of

http://www.charitynavigator.org/ is one I got from google but am not sure of.

FYI second source on the ARC.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/3277.htm

Our cities (Shreveport/Bossier City, LA) are helping out by registering displaced children in local schools, providing uniforms and supplies, hiring displaced teachers to handle the extra student/class load, providing free daycare and shelter/food/clothes. There is a lot more to do and we are working on it. Although I work for a very small computer company here in town we are trying to help as well. We don't have any extra money to donate but we cut the price of cold drinks and are allowinf unlimited use of our internet cafe for those who are trying to find out information or news on the disaster or trying to get their lives back together after this tragedy. I am happy to say that this kind of contribution is happening all over town and state wide local authorities and governments are applying very stiff penalties to those attempting to gouge or take advantage of the victims.

mgbaldeon:

Quit being a troll...

This is not the time nor place for it.

WTH?

www.charitynavigator.org gives 3 stars to the Scientology "charity" called the "CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS" or CCHR. I'm not too sure I trust Charity Navigator's research anymore.

I believe Americares might be a worthy charity to consider for those who hold a grudge against the Red Cross for sitting on the 9/11 funds or for whatever reason. They have miniscule operating overhead if I read the Charity Navigator numbers correctly.

dokool: phoxxy - this is also Fark, and despite the trollingness mgbaldeon has a valid point.

I know this on a personal level. My husband is National Guard and in Iraq at the moment. Despite being over there, given all that is going on here, he would want people to focus on taking care of the people here at home instead of bickering and being rude over the situation with Iraq.

Yes, we all know it is a problem. No need to state the obvious and rub it in.

I have setup a paypal donation account for my brothers employees, he manages Save A Lot stores in AL,MS and LA.

here (pops).

To all Scientologists who read Fark:

Please don't take offense at my comment about CCHR. I have no problem with you individually. I wish you all well. I know many of you genuinely think psychiatry is a terrible evil and want to fight it for that reason. I just don't like your organization's method of filing zillions of lawsuits as a weapon, which is basically what CCHR seems to do according to its summary on Charity Navigator.

ScienceGuy:

www.charitynavigator.org gives 3 stars to the Scientology "charity" called the "CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS" or CCHR. I'm not too sure I trust Charity Navigator's research anymore.

I believe Americares might be a worthy charity to consider for those who hold a grudge against the Red Cross for sitting on the 9/11 funds or for whatever reason. They have miniscule operating overhead if I read the Charity Navigator numbers correctly.

Are they just evaluating it on the basis of how effective it is at getting $ to the program? If so then the fact it goes to looney crap wouldn't factor in. I just noticed the figures were very detailed, but I am not sure of the site.

Are they just evaluating it on the basis of how effective it is at getting $ to the program?

Hmm. Could be. Well, I guess that along with its "capacity." I guess they leave it up to you to decide whether the charity's goals have merit. Just for the record its mission is "Exposing and eradicating violations of human rights by the field of psychiatry." Through lotsa lawsuits.

Send a little more money to:

http://www.irs.gov

/Seriously.

Before you say that people are still "rich" even though they lost their homes, consider the fact that they no longer have jobs to go to anymore in most cases, they will be stuck out of their hometown for a month or more and everything still won't be pulled together when they get back.
As for poor people "too stupid" to leave town, If you knew you couldn't afford new things, a new house and you would be homeless if you left or stayed what would YOU do? What if you couldn't leave? What if you already had no power and television and didn't know til the last minute? It can happen. You can't generalize.
Either way we should be as helpful as we can. We don't know any of these peoples' stories.

I donated.

Please donate, even if it's only $1. Or a dime.

goddessoffunk: As for poor people "too stupid" to leave town, If you knew you couldn't afford new things, a new house and you would be homeless if you left or stayed what would YOU do? What if you couldn't leave? What if you already had no power and television and didn't know til the last minute? It can happen. You can't generalize.
Either way we should be as helpful as we can. We don't know any of these peoples' stories.

Thank you for your post. I really mean it. No farking kidding.

94.5 "The Buzz," a radio station in Houston is hosting a Request-a-thon where you can pay to play whatever you want and can also just donate money. ALL proceeds go to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. They've already raised over 100 thousand dollars.

http://www.thebuzz.com/pages/requestathon.html

And for those of you who are saying that the only people who stayed were the poor and lazy, don't forget about all of the doctors, nurses, and families of hospitalized people who didn't really have a choice even with the warning.

2005-08-31 09:36:54 PM CombatBlimp
Anybody have any good voluteering ideas to aid in this situation? I'm currently between jobs and would be interested in looking into something that I could do to help for a couple of weeks. I'd donate, but the $ is running low. Any farkers who know of legit volunteering opportunities to truly help these devastated people, please post.

this is what i've been trying to find out for 2 days. i'm unemployed, strong & healthy. i'll do whatever they need. but who do i talk to to help?

I found (and posted) a metric buttload of katrina help links at my crappy blog. Hope that helps people find a specific charity they wish to contribute to if that's what they want to do.

CombatBlimp, J0e2k, and anyone else who's interested;

I'm a native (albeit temporarily displaced) Houstonian. Since I'm stuck away (for college) and feeling pretty helpless to not be there myself, I've been doing as much research as I can on volunteer opportunities in Houston and the surrounding areas and trying to network/spread the info. Seems the least I can do. If you're not specifically trained to do some of the more specialised rescue/recovery/medical work that's needed in the active disaster zones, take a look at helping out in Houston.

That's where the majority of the evacuated survivers are going to end up--everyone in the Superdome and then quite a few more are being bussed to the Astrodome in the interum until things stabelise a bit more. These are teh folks that didn't or couldn't get out--the ones who have, almost without a doubt, lost everything because they didn't have the means or ability to load up cars with posessions and leave on their own.

THIS is the biggest official list as compiled by Houston media, and is being constnatly updated. It provides contact information, dropoff points, and what group needs what the most.

To reach the Houston Red Cross, call the switchboard at 713-526-8300. To volunteer call 713-313-5480. To donate money (they do not take in-kind donations) 713-284-8877

The Houston Food Bank needs volunteers and paper goods, cleaning supplies, bottled water, peanut butter, heat-and-eat foods, single-serving foods and snacks that don't require refrigeration, and cash. Information: 713-223-3700 or houstonfoodbank.org/katrina.htm.

The Houston Humane Society 14700 Almeda Road, just south of Beltway 8 needs pet food of all types, towels and blankets most of all. Monetary donations can also be made online at www.houstonhumane.org Shelters and hotels needing assistance in caring for animals displaced by Katrina can call 713-433-6421. Houston Humane is taking in a great number of animals bussed from humane societies and shelters in affected areas indefinately.

KSBJ-FM and the Greater Houston YMCA are collecting prepaid grocery, gasoline and phone cards. Donations will be accepted today at Sharpstown Mall, Thursday at Memorial City Mall and Friday at Almeda Mall, noon-7 p.m. each day. Houston-area YMCAs will accept cards through September.

TheKaty Chamber of Commerce, 2501 S. Mason, Suite 230, Katy, is taking donations of goods and services. Visit www.katychamber.com or call 281-828-1100 for more information.

These are the groups I know of that can really use a physical helping hand. (Come to think of it, the Houston Zoo might also need volunteers, as we're taking in the animals evacuated from a NO zoo.) Everyone else I can think of is just needing donations/offering drop spots. I'll keep an ear out and update if I know more.

I may be displaced right now, stuck among Indiana's fields of corn, but I [I]cannot [/I]say right now how damn PROUD I am to be a Texan, and a Houstonian, right now.

I gave $50 each to Mercy Corps, America's Second Harvest, and AmeriCares, and I'm thinking of giving to that Noah's Wish group some Farker mentioned (thanks) once I check it out on Charity Navigator.

IMHO, a lot of folks who are blaming the victims are just looking for an excuse not to give. I live in the Pacific Northwest, in the shadow of an active volcano, where it flooded just 9 years ago. I have friends/family in SoCal (earthquakes), Minneapolis (deadly heatwaves and ice storms), Kansas (tornadoes), and Japan (Godzilla.) We don't call each other at 3 am freaking out about the absurdly unlikely!

We need a new term, like chickenhawk, to describe asshats who blame the victim of natural disasters because they're just too cheap to give. "Chicken BeLittlers", something like that.

As to volunteerism, if you're good with power tools, the United Methodist Committee on Relief responded to several recent hurricanes. Good luck! :)

isn't anyone afraid of getting assraped by strange refugees from NO that you let into your home?

Donate? To a rich country that spends billions in an illegal war/occupation, where the flood defense budget in NO was cut by 41% since 2001 to help pay for the illegal war? Here's an idea. Warprofiteers should donate their ill-gotten gains to all the affected states and while we're at it make the oil companies (European as well as US)donate some of their obscene profits?

Groverpm I hightly doubt that anyone stuck in that situation has anything to do with war or oil. You can say what people should do all day long, but it won't help the crisis going on. I think everyone should just kinda move back over to the whole relief effort thing rather than political debates.

You know all I listened to over here in Europe were people biatching and moaning that the US wasn't doing enough to help with the Tsunami relief. And every time there is any catastrophe in the world, everyone screams "Help them America!".
So now something happened in America, some assistance would be nice... where are all those people now? Europe, Hello?!

Thanks at least to Canada for offering help/assistance.

European co-workers have done nothing but trash the U.S. Government, LA and of course Bush regarding this disaster. Not one person expressed sympathy for the victims or families.


/Donated for both London bombings and Tsunami... I will NEVER do it again.

anyone with a place to stay can you please register on katrinashelter.com.

thanks

groverpm correct..

l8knight I think the Tsunami and the London bombings were slightly differnt.. i didn't get the point of donating to the bombings and I live in the UK..

The Tsunami.. thats different, those people had nothing to begin with.

why was the flood defense budget in NO was cut by 41% since 2001??

and it was a disaster waiting to happen, with global warming etc we ('cept) the USA know this is going to cause higher waters/freekish weather.

Personnaly American being as big as it is.. I wouldn't live undersea level in a city where the budget has been cut by 41%.

And at the end of the day u voted that idiot back into office..

L8knight:

European co-workers have done nothing but trash the U.S. Government, LA and of course Bush regarding this disaster. Not one person expressed sympathy for the victims or families.


Bullshiat. There has been an outpouring of support and offers of supplies and anything we need from all over the world. I have had people sending me emails from India and Europe asking how things are and saying their thoughts/prayers are with us.

The fact is we have the resources to handle the disaster close by and there is not much we really need. (We have helicopters we have hospitals, we have ships, we have rescue crews)

By the way many of the companies that are helping right now on the ground (such as beer companies bottling water for free) are foreign owned, gasp even European owned.

Stop with the lies and the nationalistic ranting bullshiat please.

I know we don't need it. It isn't my point. Its the attitude that I have a problem with. I live and work in Europe and I can tell you from the front lines that there is definite smuggness that this has happened. All people have talked about is "deserves 'em right!" or "Its Bush's fault", etc. Not one person has said "oh those poor people. I wish I could help" or anything along those lines.

And as for voting Bush back into office, with limited options what are you going to do? Bush or Kerry? The man the terrorists feared or the pushover? Nobody likes him but it was a lesser of two evils. We can only hope the next president has a clue.

I should be fair and specify "Germany" instead of saying Europe as that comment may not be fair.

im sorry to say that this just shows the euro(world?) view of america and americans..

and at the head of the pack is bush.. he is seen as your figure head.. end of story.

BlueGreenSwirly:I'm still waiting for some UN bureaucrat to chastise European countries for being so "stingy" with their aid dollars.

It's not that we're stingy, we're just not used to giving handouts to the richest, most powerful nation in the world. It feels a bit weird.

Probably like you would feel if the Swiss or other Europeans complained that you didn't help them with their floods and mudslides.

L8knight:
I live and work in Europe and I can tell you from the front lines that there is definite smuggness that this has happened. All people have talked about is "deserves 'em right!" or "Its Bush's fault", etc. Not one person has said "oh those poor people. I wish I could help" or anything along those lines.

All I can say is that you hang around with a bunch of assholes. You should try to find better friends.

Where I'm sitting, people are compassionate and concerned.

I've submitted this elsewhere already since this forum has turned into a gripe fest about the US with unusually insensitive rhetoric, but Texas Children's Hospital is offering free medical services for kids at the Astrodome, and has taken several ICU patients form Louisiana hospitals. While doctors can volunteer time and even money for this, we'll probably still need donations to cover supplies and medicines.

You can donate @:
http://www.texaschildrenshospital.org/WaysToGive/onlinedonate.aspx

I'm planning on working either Friday or Wednesday morning, depending on when they need me.