Hurricane Harvey

The impact on the State of Texas

We are currently in the middle of one of the longest lasting storms for Texas with wide spread devastation to some of the most refinery abundant cities, towns and rich farm land in the state. Multiple cities throughout Texas have been caught off guard due to Hurricane Harvey's movement resulting in despair from Houston down to Rockport and their surrounding areas. Each are in need of a constant influx of volunteers and supplies for the many shelters as we move into the coming weeks.

As we all watch the coverage on TV or social media let us not forget that the need will continue far beyond the current disaster at hand. Volunteers and supplies will continue to be needed for each of the communities impacted such as Bastrop, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Lulling, Rockport, Rocksprings, Fulton, Aransas Pass, Cuero, Corpus Christi and so many other areas across Texas.

Let us not forget that in the coming weeks, as we return to work, more focused assistance will be needed for the displaced families that live in recreational vehicles or travel trailers. The majority of these good people are currently homeless and either have no temporary housing or are seniors needing to get back home to other areas. Additional help will be needed to reunite residents to their families that may have been separated due to illness, disability or lost pets. The varied situations are endless to speak of, but the bottom line is many people need our help.

If you are anything like me you hate to see the tragedy, but won't necessarily give a donation without knowing for sure that its going to the actual people in need. After working with a number of nonprofit agencies along with the Better Business Bureau in south Texas and volunteering for the Emergency Management Office in Corpus Christi I have listed a few recourses below where donations can be made safely.

I personally (Fiery Doe Life) will be doing my best to help some of the individual small locally owned businesses recover from this disaster in my hometown of Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas of Rockport, Fulton and Aransas Pass. Many of my dear friends provide key services to the residents of those areas. I'm also considering running a campaign within my website to help with donations.

We can and should all reach out in whatever manner possible to assist our fellow neighbor even if they are hundreds or even thousands of miles away. No one person can do it all, but we all have choices. Make the safest choice to protect yourself from scams and best choice to help others in need. Don't forget to share the information with your friends, family and colleagues.


DONATION RESOURSES:

• Texas is seeking blood donations for South Texas Blood and Tissue Center and Carter Blood Care Texas organization http://carterbloodcare.org
• The American Red Cross is looking for donations by texting to 90999 and donate $10. The organization is also needing volunteers to help throughout the coming week. Details are listed on http://redcross.org under Hurricane Harvey
• Article: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-victims-here-is-what-can-do-to-help.html
• San Antonio Humane Society, Austin Pets Alive, and SPCA of Texas are taking in pets affected by Hurricane Harvey in by animal shelters across Texas. Each of the shelters are requesting people help with monetary donations on their individual websites.
• Airbnb has launched a site for  people looking for a place to stay and for those who can offer shelter. Fees are waived for people who check in before September 1.
•  Other organizations that are accepting donations for disaster relief include the Texas Diaper Bank, Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi and the Salvation Army.