Cash Still Sought To Help Hurricane Victims, Volunteers Should Not Self-Dispatch

Photo courtesy of NOAA/National Weather Service.

Volunteers should not report directly to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast states unless directed by a voluntary agency. Instead, organizations are seeking cash donations to assist victims, according to Michael D. Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response.

“Cash donations are especially helpful to victims,” Brown said. “They allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require.”

Volunteer agencies provide a wide variety of services after disasters, such as clean up, childcare, housing repair, crisis counseling, sheltering and food.

Here is a list of phone numbers set up solely for cash donations and/or volunteers.
American Red Cross
1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English,
1-800-257-7575 Spanish;

Operation Blessing
1-800-436-6348

America's Second Harvest
1-800-344-8070

Donate Cash to and Volunteer with:

Adventist Community Services
1-800-381-7171

Catholic Charities, USA
1-800-919-9338

Christian Disaster Response
941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee
1-800-848-5818

Church World Service
1-800-297-1516

Convoy of Hope
417-823-8998

Corporation for National and Community Service Disaster Relief Fund
202- 606-6718

Lutheran Disaster Response
800-638-3522

Mennonite Disaster Service
717-859-2210