How to Donate or Volunteer for Hurricane Harvey and Irma Victims

Source: Red Cross

In our world of fast paced lifestyles people tend to forget that there are still efforts to be made for the Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma victims. We must not forget our neighbors, friends, and family that this disaster impacted because rebuilding needs unity.

Estimated Hurricane Statistics Per CBS, USA Today, CNN, AccuWeather Thus Far:

  • AccuWeather President, Joel Myers, said in a statement Sunday that his firm estimates Irma’s damages to cost about $100 billion and Harvey’s $190 billion for a total of $290 billion.
  • People still without electricity in Florida: 6.8 million – about a third of Florida’s population – and hundreds of thousands in Georgia, with utilities saying it could take 10 days or more before all have power. People still in shelters in Florida: 13,000. Death toll from Irma currently is 69 people currently.
  • Harvey is estimated to have caused up to $160 billion in damages, impacting more than 100,000 homes and making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.
  • Potential cost of hurricane damage to privately insured property in U.S. and the Caribbean: $55 billion.
  • In Houston Hurricane Harvey impacted 500,000 to 1,000,000 vehicles that were damaged or destroyed for a city who heavily relies on cars since it’s the 4th biggest city in the US.
  • Due to Hurricane Irma an estimated 95% of Barbuda’s structures are damaged, and the entire island of around 1,800 people were evacuated. The hurricane was 378 miles wide when it descended on Barbuda, which is just 62 square miles.
  • The lower Florida Keys remain off-limits as crews check 42 bridges on the only highway to the mainland. Estimate by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that 25 percent of homes were destroyed and all the rest heavily damaged.

As more reports come out we are to assume these statistics may be skewed. The major question for most is how can we help the victims?

CNN Impact Your World initiative has the most comprehensible donation and volunteer list for both Hurricanes along with lists of companies or organizations to donate to for disaster relief. See below links for Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma to help the victims of this massive disaster.

Hurricane Irma

https://publicgood.com/media/cnn/campaign/help-for-hurricane-irma-victims?utm_campaign=Do-Public-Good&utm_medium=cnn-big-sky&utm_source=cnn&utm_content=http:%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2017%2F09%2F07%2Fworld%2Fiyw-help-for-hurricane-irma-victims%2Findex.html&title=Hurricane%20Irma%20victims%20need%20your%20help

CNN Hurricane Harvey

https://publicgood.com/media/cnn/campaign/cnn-help-during-hurricane-harvey?utm_campaign=Do-Public-Good&utm_medium=button&utm_source=cnn&utm_content=http:%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2017%2F08%2F25%2Fhealth%2Fiyw-harvey-how-to-help%2Findex.html&title=How%20to%20help%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20victims

As always you can go to the Red Cross site as well to donate, give blood or volunteer for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief. Below are the accomplishments the Red Cross has done since the Hurricanes happened.

  • In the last three weeks, the Red Cross and community partners have provided more than 890,000 overnight stays in emergency shelters due to hurricanes. Shelters were opened in 8 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • The Red Cross has served nearly 2.3 million meals and snacks to people in need.
  • Almost 6,000 Red Cross disaster workers and 276 emergency response vehicles are on the ground right now, helping thousands of people affected by these storms.
  • More than 67 million hurricane and flood alerts have been issued through Red Cross mobile apps for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

To donate, volunteer, give blood or for more information on how you can help the hurricane victims through Red Cross click here.

In true Texan style we are having a Harvey Can’t Mess With Texas: A Benefit Concert for Hurricane Harvey Relief that will take place on Friday, Sept. 22 from 7-11 p.m., and broadcast on 11 TEGNA stations and stream internationally on YouTube.com/Texas Strong from 9-10 p.m. CT. The largest live concert benefit in Texas will feature exclusive performances and rare collaborations from Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Leon Bridges, Lyle Lovett, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Ryan Bingham, Ha*Ash, and multiple special guests. The evening will include special appearances by Matthew McConaughey, Dan Rather, Renée Zellweger, Luke Wilson, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Houston Chief of Police Art Acevedo, and many more. Charlie Sexton will serve as Music Director, with Asleep at the Wheel sitting in as the house band. Tickets start at $30.00 and can be purchased here.

Our prayers go out to all the hurricane victims and our thanks to all of the good people that have helped our nation during this massive disaster.

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Source: CBS, USA Today, CNN, AccuWeather, Red Cross