Huntsville Is Second-Home To Hurricane Victims

It seems when the raging winds and rains of the Gulf start pounding, Huntsville is ready with welcome arms to house and care for those made homeless and without anywhere else to turn. Some community colleges in Alabama are closed to make room for the thousands of people from Louisiana and other Gulf Coast areas who have fled the path of the hurricane. There is much that we can do to help those who were less fortunate than we are living further north in the state.

According to Pat Mitchem, Volunteer Public Affairs for the Madison/Marshall County Chapter of American Red Cross, the most important is by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund (please designate it as such). It will help not only those evacuees from Gustav, but now with Hanna, Ike and the new Josephine off the coast of Africa, the American Red Cross will have to be ready to assist additional people.

Donations can be made on line at www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS to donate on line.

From the American Red Cross: “All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like Hurricane Gustav, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.”

On www.redcross.org there is a SAFE and WELL site, where people can connect with those who have evacuated and evacuees can register as SAFE and WELL. Registration can also be made on line at www.redcrossrelief.org.

I urge you to open your heart, your homes, and your pocketbooks to help the victims of these natural disasters. We have been so lucky here in Huntsville to not have to fight for our houses or our lives this time.