HOW TO HELP RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE HARVEY

The City of Corpus Christi will connect those offering assistance with those in need. Call the city at (361) 826-CITY (2489) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to provide contact information and resources and services offered. This information will go to organizations that have mobilized for distribution of donations and volunteer services in Corpus Christi, Rockport, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass and other neighboring communities.

Shelter and supplies

• Corpus Christi Food Bank needs donations of non-perishable staples such as canned meat and dry goods as well as cleaning supplies.
• Open your home to disaster victims through Airbnb.
• The Texas Diaper Bank accepts diapers and cash to help provide emergency diaper kits to displaced families. 
• Little Lobbyists, an organization that advocates for kids with complex medical needs, is asking for donations of cash or supplies.

Donate

• National organizations actively involved in collecting donations for general disaster relief efforts are United Way, Americares, Salvation Army, Save the Children, Global Giving, Direct Relief, Heart to Heart and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.
• GoFundMe vetted a list of individual cities, families and homes that need help.
• Both individuals and corporations can donate money through the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
• Help Texas farmers and ranchers hurt by the storm through The State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund.
• Teachers around the state need help setting up classrooms affected by the storm. Help them buy supplies and anything else they need through the Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund.
• To donate $10 to the Red Cross for hurricane victims, text HARVEY to 90999. To give more than $10, visit RedCross.org.
• Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner set up the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to collect tax-deductible donations for flood relief in the nation’s fourth-largest city

Blood needed

Blood is in short supply after the storm. Type O negative and O positive donations are particularly needed, although everyone of any type is encourage to donate.

• In Corpus Christi, Driscoll Children’s Hospital is accepting blood and money in support of Hurricane Harvey victims.

Volunteer

Volunteers are needed to help with recovery efforts all along the Texas Gulf Coast, especially from Port Aransas to Houston

• Sign up for trips to the affected area through  Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group, Team Rubicon and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
• Call the State Bar of Texas’s legal hotline at (800) 504-7030 or visit the website for answers to basic legal questions and to find local legal aid providers following declared disasters. Texans can find help with replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant problems and consumer protection. Leave a message, and you will be matched with Texas lawyers who have volunteers to provide help.

Animals

Displaced animals need help, too. Here's how you can help.

• The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals needs donations and help sheltering and placing lost animals. Donate at www.spca.org/give or sign up to adopt a displaced animal at www.spca.org/foster. For stranded marine animals, call the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Regional Office at (877) 942-5343.
• The City of Corpus Christi’s Animal Care Services at 2626 Holly Road is accepting lost pets on a temporary basis. The organization will assist in helping reunite pets with their owners.
• Hurricane Harvey Lost and Found Pets is a new Facebook page set up to help connect owners with their lost animals. Anyone can post a lost or found pet on the site.
• Cat owners who have lost their home can take their cats to The Cattery for free animal boarding. Call (361) 854-MEOW (6369) or visit them at 8201 Weber Road. The Cattery also took in 124 cats from the Houston area. Donations to help defray costs can be given online.