Are You Looking for a Way to Help the Louisiana Flood Victims?

Pleas to donate clothes to Red Cross have been made before, but this time Americans all across the nation have seen the devastation that has generated the latest requests. A year’s worth of rain in two days has left many parts of Southern Louisiana in need of clothing, water, food, and finances. Even President Obama on his visit to the state made a request for every American to do what he or she can to help. The decision to donate clothes to Red Cross, especially new clothes that could be worn as students return to school, can be helpful.
All of the schools in Louisiana’s second largest school district are closed on what was supposed to be the first week of school. Because of historic flooding in Baton Rouge and other areas, classes have been postponed until after Labor Day. According to a September 25, Morning Edition National Public Radio episode, the Glen Oaks High School is just one of many area schools working to find ways to hold classes after their schools have been devastated by flood waters.
At the particular school, the football coach was able to use school records to locate some of their players who were not doing very well. After spending mornings helping these players muck the water and trash out of their ruined homes, the coaches have been holding afternoon football practices so that the players can find something to be hopeful about.
Glen Oaks High took on as much as four feet of water, but the football field is on higher ground. That higher ground, it seems, is one of the bright spots for at least some of the students at this school who may have feared that, like some students did after Hurricane Katrina, their school would be closed forever.
Over 20 districts across the state of Louisiana closed because of the flood. Some are back up and running, some are closed indefinitely. Glen Oaks High School students are lucky in a way. Even though their football field is on higher ground and has allowed afternoon practices for a return to some kind of normalcy, the school will not be ready any time soon. Instead, their 600 student population will move into a school whose 100 students have been vacated to another location so Glen Oaks students and teachers can use that space. Organizing a way for 600 students to use a space intended for 100 will not be easy, but the school officials are thankful that they have a space at all.
How Can Your Family Help Those Devastated by National Disasters?
If you do not want to donate clothes to Red Cross disaster relief efforts there are still many other ways to help. Financial donations, in fact, are some of the best ways to get involved. Money to the Red Cross and other established non-profits can help fund the depleting budgets of groups that strive to help those most in need. Food supply centers, home cooked meals, school supplies, and other necessities can be purchased as needed for families who have lost everything.
Even used clothing donations serve several purposes. They provide needed items to the families who are spending days not knowing where their next meal may come from. The decision to donate clothes to Red Cross and other agencies also makes sure that no piece of clothing ends up in a landfill. Large collection centers, for example, routinely sell unwearable items to recycling centers. The funds generated from these sales then go straight into the other programs that a non-profit runs.
In addition to serving victims of natural disasters, Red Cross donations also benefit individual who suffer losses in residential fires. In some cities, these donations are also shared with the nearly 15% of the homeless population who are considered “chronically homeless.?
Are you one of the 70% of people in America who give to charity each year? Might this be the year that you decide to step out of your financial comfort zone and give more than the average 3% of your income that most Americans give to charity each year? Everyone from the individual Louisiana child who is wondering where she will have school this year to the President is hoping so.