Don't Forget New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

Hurricane Katrina/Flood Aid Blog Burst

(If you're not one of the heroes working this weekend)

I donated $50.00 to Catholic Charities, and technically, I'm unemployed. I'm sure many of my treasured PostWatch readers are not, and even if you realistically can't afford $50, you can afford something. Please consider aiding those who have been devastated in this disaster.

It took awhile for my online credit-card transaction to process, no doubt because of demand. If you're handy with a checkbook and something I've read about called "mail," you might try that. "Stamps" are involved.

Glenn Reynolds has a superb roundup of charities to choose from as part of the blogosphere's effort to contribute aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, both in New Orleans and other communities along the Gulf Coast that are receiving less attention.

My recommendation is Catholic Charities USA, where donations can be made both online and with a check via postal mail to:

Catholic Charities USA
2005 Hurricane Relief Fund
PO Box 25168
Alexandria, VA 22313-9788

or

Call:
(800) 919-9338

An excerpt from Catholic Charities' Katrina page:

While local agencies along the Gulf Coast anticipate that they will be provide some type of emergency assistance in their communities, Catholic Charities' niche in disaster relief is to provide long-term recovery work. In fact, Catholic Charities agencies in Florida are still providing services to help people recover from last year's devastating hurricanes.

Based on past disasters, possible long-term services that Catholic Charities may provide include temporary and permanent housing, direct assistance beyond food and water to get people back into their homes, job placement counseling, and medical and prescription drug assistance.

Recovery work is underway in Dade County, FL, where Katrina caused extensive flooding when it stuck there last week. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami has already distributed a large load of baby items, food, and other supplies to victims. Other aid that they will be providing includes assistance with food, shelter, rent, medicine, utilities, and mental health counseling.

To help communities recover from the damage brought on by Hurricane Katrina, Catholic Charities USA is collecting financial donations that will fund agencies' emergency and long-term disaster recovery efforts.

Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food, clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. Its federal ID number is 53-0196620.

There are many others listed at Glenn's Instapundit, including the American Red Cross.

God bless the citizens of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast