10 Great Ways You Can Help

By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted September 7, 2005.

In the absence of leadership and compassion from the White House and the entire administration, along with the unbelievable scope of the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, there has been an unprecedented citizen response of money, goods, volunteers and technology creating a river of love and support to the more than a million displaced people. Simply stated, Americans are not going to let a clumsy, uncaring government undermine our capacity to support those in need.

It's clear that huge numbers of Americans don't agree with the Bush administration's philosophy and strategy of shrinking government and services. In downgrading FEMA and cutting funding for flood protection for New Orleans, while spending hundreds of billions of dollars to send hundreds of thousands of American troops and tons of equipment to Iraq, our country and our people have been left vulnerable. When big trouble happens at home, as it did with Hurricane Katrina, the fundamental cruelty of disdaining and downgrading government services is made abundantly clear.

As often happens in big disasters, huge enterprises like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and others get the bulk of the money raised (the Red Cross has already raised over $350 million). Sometimes these big operations do not have the nimbleness or the understanding of the local community to apply the aid in the smartest and most strategic way. That's when we have to trust the people we know, and the local grassroots groups that have been serving their communities for decades.

What follows is one list of 10 great things happening in response to Hurricane Katrina. These are deserving places for your support, whether it is to give housing, use your tech skills, volunteer or give hard cash.

1. American Friends Service Committee (via veteran reporter Doug Ireland): "If you'd like to make a donation that will actually help the poorest citizens of New Orleans, Biloxi, and the many small Southern towns devastated by Katrina, you should do so through the American Friends Service Committee. They've established a special Hurricane Relief fund. The AFSC was founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims. It's still Quaker-run, and its sterling history of agitation and education for peace is matched by its long record, for nearly a century, of lean, effective, on-the-ground service to victims of war and famine. A gift to the AFSC won't be wasted."
2. NAACP disaster relief efforts. Juan Proano explains that the NAACP, America's oldest civil rights organization, "is setting up command centers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama as part of its disaster relief efforts. NAACP units across the nation have begun collecting resources that will be placed on trucks and sent directly into the disaster areas. Also, the NAACP has established a disaster relief fund to accept monetary donations to aid in the relief effort. The NAACP has chapters and members throughout the disaster area, and is intent on getting relief to those most in need at the grassroots level. "
   
   Send checks payable to:
   NAACP Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund
   4805 Mt. Hope Drive
   Baltimore, MD 21215
   Donations can also be made online at: https://www.naacp.org/disaster/contribute.php
3. Cindy Sheehan and Veterans for Peace. From Michael Moore: "Join with me in bypassing the colossally inept and incompetent Bush administration and get help DIRECTLY to the people of the New Orleans area -- right now. Many don't know who to trust. I have a way, though, for each and every one of us to do something that can affect people's lives TODAY. I've been working with a group that, I guarantee you, will get direct aid to the people who need it most. Cindy Sheehan, the brave woman who dared to challenge Mr. Bush at his summer home has joined The Veterans for Peace set up camp in Covington, Louisiana, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. They are accepting materials and personally distributing them to those in need and are going to be delivering much-needed supplies." Needed now: paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, Pedialyte, baby items in general, powder, lotion, handy wipes, sterile gloves, electrolytes, LARGE cans of veggies, school supplies, and anything else to lift people's spirits. Visit VFPRoadTrips.org for instructions on shipping these things, or driving them there yourself.
4. Help ACORN get on its feet again. ACORN, the most influential organization in the U.S. in fighting for low-income people is really hurting. From Allison Conyers: "Our headquarters in New Orleans has been destroyed. Now we are fighting to relocate and aid the more than 9,000 member families we have there. We have members in Houston who are taking in many families and are now organizing a van tour that will pick up goods from cities all over the country. We need support to open a temporary national headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and, when possible, reopen our offices in New Orleans. As we get up and running, we will gather together our displaced community members and work to help secure the housing, community services, and other relief they need. All of this will be expensive, so please consider a contribution to the ACORN Hurricane Recovery and Rebuilding Fund."

Don Hazen is the executive editor of AlterNet. Cindy Gantz and Deanna Zandt provided research for this article.

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