Helping with Hurricane Harvey

apanoplyofsong:

If you haven’t heard, the biggest hurricane to hit the US coast in over a decade is about to make landfall in Texas. Harvey is a category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and is incredibly slow moving with an abnormal path (both very bad things with hurricanes), expected to dump a possible 40 inches of rain in areas. 

To compare: Corpus Christi, the city it is making landfall near, has an average annual rainfall of ~32 inches and Houston, also expected to be inundated with over 30 inches of rain in places, has an average annual rainfall 45 inches.

This is happening in a weekend. And then it’s going to remain over the region.
So what are the avenues through which you can help? I’m sure more will be apparent in the coming days, but here’s a few places to start:

• Donate to the Red Cross–already mounting relief efforts; a reliable go-to in disaster relief. You can also text HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. (Monetary donations are often more helpful than materials until the area can be accessed and needs assessed.)
• or consider donating blood through your local Red Cross, as there’s always a drain on blood banks as people seek care in the aftermath
• Donate to Direct Relief–Direct Relief is in contact with Community Health Centers and offers Emergency Health Kits, which contain key medicines and supplies often requested after major disasters. There is an option to direct your donation to support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
• Donate to Austin Pets Alive–Austin Pets Alive! is working with shelters in direct line of the storm to transport as many animals as possible to their (safe, inland) shelter, but needs help to care for this influx.
• Driscoll’s Children Hospital in Corpus Christi, directly in the path of Harvey, cares for children from 31 counties of the region, including a pediatric and neonatal ICU. They have evacuated patients, but will probably need help in rebuilding and outreach, so consider keeping them in mind as things develop.

In Harvey’s path?

• The Red Cross has emergency apps you can download on your phone, information on open shelters if you need to evacuate, and a hurricane safety guide.
• If you’re evacuated to San Antonio, the local Humane Society has information on where you can bring your pets for care.
• The National Hurricane Center is the official place to get updates, information releases, and the latest projections.
• Listen to your local advisories, stay inside if at all possible, and do not enter flood waters. 

(also just a petty governmental note that the National Hurricane Center is without an official director as we encounter this natural disaster okay go help people bye!)