Hurricane Harvey Assistance

Cously

The Westwind Claws will don a white and red tabard this week in order to raise awareness of the needs of those affected by Hurricane Harvey. It currently is devastating large parts of Texas. The peak of the storm hasn’t even been reached yet and so many lost their homes already. Still they need all help they can get. There is no staying in the way of nature when it decides to unleash full power.

We can only do our best to endure and survive. Please, if it’s within your means, try to help our fellow Men and Mer outside Tamriel. Anything you can contribute with will make a massive difference in someone elses life. Money, especially if you live outside the country. Blood for the blood banks. Temporary pet shelter for the strays and abandoned pets. Volunteer work to help rescuing and homing those vulnerable people. Food and other supplies on demand during disasters.

And if you can't afford or are unable to perform any direct acts, please spread the word to your friends and family, in social networks and other channels, lend your voice to champion this cause, it won't take many minutes.

Below there are some contacts that can be useful for those that want to start. If you have any charity or opportunities to help others affected by Hurricane Harvey, please post and I will update the thread. Please, take your time to check the organizations below to see if any matches your preferences and investigate them before committing anything. One kind gesture will make a world of difference for another person, be their hero.

The American Red Cross
Been volunteering for them for years, outstanding work in Brazil during floods, I imagine the American one will be nothing less.

Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
A local fund raising started by the Mayor in order to organize the donation coming from within the country.

The Salvation Army has provided shelter, food, and clothing to victims in Houston. In other hard-hit cities, volunteers have been assisting in the efforts to rescue victims as floodwaters rapidly rise.

The Texas Diaper Bank, which is based out of San Antonio, is putting together relief kit for families with very small children who need access to clean diapers in the midst of flooding and evacuations. Diapers take up a lot of space in a delivery truck, which means that other relief organizations have to decide between bringing diapers or food to affected areas. The Texas Diaper Bank fills in that need.

The Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi weathered the storm well, never losing power. It’s accepting financial donations now, and if you live in the area and want to help, you can also donate blood. They serve a large area, and people from many affected parts of the coast are likely to need their services.

The SPCA of Texas is taking in hundreds of animals transferred from shelters on the coast who aren’t safe where they are right now. You can donate to the organization to help defray the costs—or you can open your home and foster a displaced animal until it can be reunited with its owner.

Austin Pets Alive! is doing similar work, and has similar needs—cash, to keep operating, and volunteers to foster animals. They can also use certain pet supplies: large plastic or metal bins with lids to store food, leashes and collars, cat litter, large brooms, cat-specific beds, and liquid laundry soap. (The organization says they’re good on crates and pet food now, and don’t have much space to store them.)

Direct Relief USA offers prescription drugs and other medical supplies to those who need it in emergency situations, and works with clinics and primary care doctors to ensure that people are able to get what they need when they need it. They’re accepting financial contributions.

Portlight, which has provided inclusive relief to people with disabilities for twenty years—including in Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy—is working to ensure that people who require medical equipment and assistive technology have what they need after they evacuate, and to make sure that those same folks are able to get to safety. They accept donations via PayPal.

The Houston Coalition for the Homeless is facilitating shelter for homeless people in Houston, including offering up-to-date information about which shelters currently have space, who’s the best fit for each one, and how to get there safely. They’re accepting financial donations to continue their work.

If you’re not in one of the affected areas and you have a spare room, you can host someone by listing your home on Airbnb for free, with no service fees to anyone. Right now, most of the listings are in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. If you’re in any of those cities—or another part of the state that’s not experiencing flooding—you might consider listing your space so displaced people have more options.

In Dallas, Trusted World is operating three shelters for evacuees. They need donations, supplies (clean clothing, non-perishable food, toiletries, diapers, and baby formula), and volunteers to help sort out the things that people have dropped off.

Global Giving is trying to raise $2 million to help those affected by the storm. As of this writing, they’ve raised $43,000, but the campaign had just launched. The organization provides food, gas, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter in the short-term, and then funnels the remaining resources to local organizations to facilitate long-term recovery.

Here’s a list of food banks in both affected areas and in places where those affected are likely to spend some time in the immediate aftermath of the storm (via the Houston Press):

Houston Food Bank
832-369-9390

Galveston Food Bank
409-945-4232

Corpus Christi Food Bank
361-887-6291

firedrgn

Thanks for the post.

OutLaw_Nynx

I've never donated blood before but I'm planning on doing so.

HobbesGilly

You know, I have to say that this puts a lot into perspective as far as just a couple hours ago I was impatiently waiting for the ESO servers to come back up... smh at myself. It's good to know that the world isn't filled with selfish people (as I myself can be sometimes) and that there are a few that are willing to step up and remind us all that there is a world out there. You have my sincere gratitude for the post.

Stovahkiin

Thanks for the post, lots of good info here.

Unfortunately, inb4 this thread gets closed by a trigger happy mod because it isn't directly about ESO. (Another Harvey thread got canned a few days ago)

OC_Justice

Stovahkiin wrote: »

Thanks for the post, lots of good info here.

Unfortunately, inb4 this thread gets closed by a trigger happy mod because it isn't directly about ESO. (Another Harvey thread got canned a few days ago)

It is unfortunate that it takes disasters to bring us closer together. Why Zos would close threads that bring us closer together is beyond me. They didn't close the show me your pet thread.

And thanks for the post, my niece lived in Rockport and lost her home and a vehicle, but she is alive and well with her mom in the Hill Country right now.

Froil

Some real care and support out there. Brings a tear to my eye. I'm very lucky we didn't lose power or get flooded where I live.

Thank you for putting this information out so we can try to get all the help we can for rebuilding purposes.

Takes-No-Prisoner

Also tearing up a little reading this.

I have a close friend in Corpus Christi who left his parents behind(his folks made the choice to stay) and he was in a panic not being able to get in touch with them. Turns out, everyone is fine, his folks only lost electricity due to wind. While I'm very happy he and his intimidate family where not harmed, it pains me to see the images coming out of Texas of those who were not at all fortunate.

Cously

The situation is really bad for them at the moment. There are risks of hundreds of gators escape a zoo because the waters are raising. There are risks of chemicals turning the water acid. I think even the reservoirs are overflowing. The government seems worried about the dams as well. And the despicable looters firing at rescuers. This storm will be slow but exponentially worse every hour. So please keep informing others, this effort will require a lot of days.

ZOS_CoriJ

Hey guys, while this discussion isn't particularly about ESO we realize it is important to the community to discuss. We are therefore moving it to a more appropriate forum.

Cously

ZOS_CoriJ wrote: »

Hey guys, while this discussion isn't particularly about ESO we realize it is important to the community to discuss. We are therefore moving it to a more appropriate forum.

Thank you for not closing or delete the thread. I did my best to keep it related to ESO by mobilizing my guild. Also because the servers and some offices of Zenimax are located near the affected areas I imagine employees and their family could also use the help.

Drinks-Loves

I love in corpus and I lost my house, currently at a shelter

Drinks-Loves

Live

TheValkyries

I hope all in the immediate area of the Storm can feel somewhat safe, especially with more water bound to be coming in.

And Thanks to all Volunteers, being physically able to help in the storm - Doing just that.


Sometimes it takes a disaster for peoples Empathy and Compassion to rise.


We good now Mother Earth - You can stop with the water......


Much Love to all still in the area.

Tucker3711

I once had to research the tsunami in Japan, I saw a lot of things... I can't even imagine the horror that Texas is in...