Hurricane Harvey victims need you
Hurricane Harvey has brought a world of trauma to Houston, Texas. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be spared the storm’s wrath should do everything in our ability to help those who have been devastated by it.
According to the National Weather Service, Harvey is “unprecedented and all impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced.” It is still estimated to last another three to four days.
Among other damages, the storm has caused the flooding of several hundred structures, cut off electricity for 250,000 Texans and left thousands of people stranded on rooftops, exposed to the merciless winds as they search for higher ground.
The damage caused by Harvey—which has generated “at least 50 inches of rainfall in some areas” and 340 billion gallons of floodwater, according to the National Hurricane Center—is so immense that Brock Long, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that “FEMA is going to be there for years” before the area is fully recovered.
But help for the victims is—quite literally—at the tips of your fingers.
There are a number of generous charities already alleviating the suffering of those affected by Harvey. Providing a small amount of financial support to any of these organizations would require minimal effort on your part but would make a world of difference to people who have been struck by disaster.
For instance, by simply texting the word HARVEY to 90999 you can make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross to provide shelter and vital services to Harvey victims.
Another great organization working on Harvey relief is the Driscoll Children’s Hospital (DCH), located in Corpus Christi, one of the most severely impacted areas. You can donate to DCH through their website www.driscollchildrens.org.
If you’d like to help animals that may have been left injured, sick or homeless, you can support the SPCA of Texas at www.spca.org.
These are just a few of many organizations that are bringing hope and care to those whose lives have been upturned by Hurricane Harvey.
The people of Texas need you.
Just a few spare dollars from your pocket could make the difference between a toddler having a clean diaper too sleep in or not, a mother having formula to give to her baby or not, a sick animal getting life-saving antibiotics or not, a displaced family having a meal to eat or not–and the list goes on.
There is no limit to the good you can do in the world, and moments like these are when your compassion is needed most.
Renee Perez is a junior majoring in political science and economics.