Harvey Flooding Disaster: How You Can Help
CBS Local (CBS) —Now that the sun is finally shining and the murky, brown floodwaters are slowly receding in much of the Houston area, grim reality is setting in.
In Texas, the official death toll surpassed 30 on Wednesday and was expected to climb as authorities investigated several other deaths to determine whether they were storm related. Officials fear that the number of fatalities will climb sharply in coming days as neighbors, emergency workers and family members search for the missing — and discover the bodies of people trapped in waterlogged homes or encased in underwater graves inside cars.
Consider donating to any of these organizations that are helping to raise money for aid and services in the wake of the disaster:
Twenty-five businesses across Philadelphia and parts of Delaware are collecting clothing, toiletries, school supplies, and more for Harvey victims. #PhillyJourneyToTexas will be collecting donations until September 28. * LEARN MORE*
The American Red Cross set up a page for Hurricane Harvey relief donations. The organization has been providing shelters, supplies, and volunteers on the ground.
Online giant Amazon announced it's matching donations - up to $1 million - for the Red Cross.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner put together a Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund through theGreater Houston Community Foundation. If you would rather send a gift to help aid Houstonians, a list of acceptable items and instructions can be found here.
Houston Texans defensive end J. J. Watt has started a YouCaring page that takes donations large and small to put toward assistance for Houston.
"The people of Houston are very resilient," Watt told CBS This Morning. "The people are always willing to help each other, and that's why we started the fundraiser, that's why we've started this situation, so we can get the help that these people need. There's going to be families that need to be put back together, there's going to be communities that need help rebuilding their homes, their parks, everything, and that's what we're going to try to do."
The Salvation Army has an Emergency Disaster Services arm that is taking donations to help Harvey victims.
Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies is a group that helps disabled people. They are asking for donations as they work to help older adults and those with disabilities in the flood zone.
Catholic Charities USA has set up a page to aid in long term recovery after the Hurricane Harvey disaster.
Austin Pets Alive!, a no-kill animal shelter, has set up a website for donations in the wake of the hurricane and flooding. They're raising money to help shelters in the direct line of Harvey.
Direct Relief is an organization working with local health and emergency providers, and you can donate to them here. They have already made $100 million worth of medical supplies available after the disaster.
The Houston Food Bank has said they will reopen to provide disaster relief ASAP. In the meantime, you can donate here.
The Texas Diaper Bank works to meet the basic needs of babies, disabled children, and older adults. They said they are in need of cash and diaper donations to help families displaced due to flooding and hurricane damage–you can donate here.
