The aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma have left many families in desperate need of assistance. As more photos of the devastation are being posted on the news, you may be wondering if there is anything you can do to help. The answer? ABSOLUTELY!
Many local and national organizations have been seeking assistance in the form of donations on the news and Internet. However, sometimes it can be confusing and overwhelming to figure out what is need or what is the best suited option for you to give back.
There are more ways to send aid relief beyond giving money. While this may be the most efficient and effective way to give back, odds are that this is not the best option for many of us broke college students. Instead, many organizations have a ‘Wishlist’ on their website, requesting items that are needed, such as: basic clothing, toiletries, small first aid kits, nonperishable food items, etc. Given that these lists have items at all price ranges, odds are there is something priced in your budget. Check out these sites if you’re interested:
- The Red Cross
- Center of International Disaster Information
- The Salvation Army
- Amazon (While a list of material items needed has not yet been released, it is expected that Amazon will publish a list of items that are needed by local and national charities on their websites as they did for the victims of hurricane Harvey.)
As more information is collected, more ways to assist will be announced via mass and social media. Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that many of our fellow AU students have loved ones in these areas, and are experiencing tremendous hardship. Please keep this in mind when making jokes or sharing memes, as they can be quite hurtful. This is a time when we should be supporting one another and helping each other build in any way that we can.