August 30, 2017
A number of charitable organizations are accepting donations to help those people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey along the Gulf Coast:
The American Red Cross' around-the-clock work depends on financial donations to be able to provide immediate disaster relief.
Text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation or go online to donate. The minimum online donation is $10, and all donations are tax-deductible.
The Salvation Army is providing shelter, food and clothing to victims in Houston. In other hard-hit cities, volunteers are assisting in the efforts to rescue victims as floodwaters rise.
Donations to the Salvation Army to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts can be made:
• Online
• By calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• By texting STORM to 51555
To see how your donations are being put to use in the field, the organization provides disaster updates as well.
All Hands Volunteers are on the ground in Texas. Donations will go toward supporting affected communities. Donations can be made online here and are tax-deductible.
Americares is in Texas working to provide emergency medicine and supplies, distributing water and aid, and mobilizing medical outreach with local partners. Thousands of people are in desperate need. Donations can be made online and are tax-deductible.
SBP's mission is to shrink time between disaster and recovery. It helps impacted communities recover in a prompt, efficient and predictable way. Donations can be made online.
Samaritan's Purse disaster relief units are now in Texas as Harvey’s deadly fury has moved inland and continues to pummel the state, especially flood-prone Houston. Donate here.
The Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council in partnership with the AFL-CIO Philadelphia Council is organizing a major Hurricane Harvey Relief effort beginning Labor Day, Monday, September 5. The labor groups will set up a large tractor-trailer on the Labor Day Parade route near Columbus Boulevard and Reed Street to collect items of need.
John J. Dougherty, business manager of the Building Trades, and Patrick J. Eiding, president of the AFL-CIO Philadelphia Council, are asking union participants and parade-goers to contribute items desperately needed by the thousands of victims of Hurricane Harvey along the Gulf coast. Those donated items include:
• New and gently used clothing in all sizes, for men, women, children and infants
• Bottled water
• Blankets and bedding
• Non-perishable food
• Canned meats
• Dry goods
• Cleaning supplies
• Baby diapers
• Baby formula
• Personal hygiene Items - soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste
• First-aid kits and standard medical supplies
• Trash bags
• Tarps
• Pet food
The unions also will organize a series of blood banks in the city in the coming days, with the first to be held at IBEW Local 98 headquarters at 1719 Spring Garden St., Dougherty said.
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. has asked parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to consider a one-time, special collection on the weekend of Sept. 16 and 17 to support continued relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
This special collection is part of a national initiative called for by Archbishop José H. Gomez, vice-president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to benefit the victims and provide pastoral and rebuilding support to impacted dioceses.
All contributed funds will support Catholic Charities’ USA, which is providing aid to victims of the destructive storm. These funds will support disaster response and recovery efforts including direct assistance, rebuilding, and health care services.
Individuals may also contribute directly to Catholic Charities USA.
The Blood Bank of Delmarva is asking Philadelphia-area residents to help it meet an URGENT request for more than 2,000 units of blood from fellow blood banks in Texas and across the Gulf Coast to deal with tragedy from the massive storm.
The organization is appealing to donors with O-positive, O-negative, A-negative and B-negative blood types to make a blood donation this week. The Blood Bank of Delmarva is also in need of platelet donors.
Please call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8 or go online to book an appointment.
