Charities Responding to Hurricane Katrina

A huge number of charities are providing aid to those whose homes were destroyed and lives disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. Below is a list of charities on this website (or agencies affiliated with these charities) that are providing services in the wake of this natural disaster. All of these charities have met the federal charity drive’s 10 accountability standards.

We include a link to each charity’s website where you can learn more about how it is responding to the hurricane.

In addition, on our website, you can learn about each charity’s mission, see its answers to six basic questions about its work (such as, “How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely?”) and see how much it spends on administration and overhead. (For each charity you can learn this information by clicking on “All Charities A to Z” and then clicking on the charity’s name.)

As you think about which causes to support, please read our advice about giving in response to a disaster. We think you will find both some useful information about how to quickly check out any charity as well as some perspective about how to select a charity that goes beyond the usual advice.

ADRA International
www.adra.org

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International is working with local partners to distribute relief items in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Air Serv International, Inc.
www.airserv.org

AirServ has arranged helicopter assistance to enable Entergy, the electric utility serving New Orleans and other areas hit by Katrina, to install new towers to restore electricity to storm-affected areas.

Alley Cat Allies
https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1675

Alley Cat Allies' Compassion Fund will assist grassroots and small- to mid-sized organizations providing on-site, hands-on care to the feline victims of Hurricane Katrina. Alley Cat Allies will locate and help caregivers and feline rescue groups in the Gulf States throughout the rebuilding of the devastated coast.

American Red Cross
www.RedCross.org/donate/donation form.asp

Please designate “Local Red Cross Chapter” (chapters are sending volunteers to hard-hit areas) or “Disaster Relief”

Americans Helping Americans
www.helpingamericans.org/katrina.htm

Americans Helping Americans is purchasing and transporting ready-to-eat food items, baby food and diapers, can openers, drinking water, over-the-counter medications, first-aid / medical supplies, personal hygiene items, bedding, towels, new clothing, cleaning supplies, rubber gloves, school supplies,…etc to these people who are desperately in need.

Catholic Charities USA
www.CatholicCharitiesusa.org/news/katrina.cfm

Catholic Charities agencies from across the country are already working to meet the immediate needs of evacuees that have come into their communities, as well as planning to provide assistance for the long-term needs of the victims.

Christian Relief Services
www.ChristianRelief.org

Christian Relief Services is accepting donations of money and relief materials to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina through its affiliate Americans Helping Americans. (see earlier listing)

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
www.crcl.org

The Coalition has been an advocate for restoring the coastal ecosystem for many years. According to its website, the Coalition will be meeting with Administration officials, Congressional delegates and staffers, emergency response planners, business and industry leaders, and national conservation organizations to begin the necessary steps toward recovery and restoration.

“Our work in the past will not only help us better understand the immediate challenges we face but will also help us plan for the broader work of restoring our coast as well as restoring hope and promise to the region.”

The Coalition is a relatively small charitable organization. Contributions to it are tax deductible. It is not part of the Combined Federal Campaign nationally. However, in relation to its administration and fund-raising costs, it could qualify: they add up to just 12% of its budget.

To donate by mail:
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
746 Main St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Days End Farm Horse Rescue, Inc.
www.DEFHR.org

One of the first charities to head to storm-affected areas, rescuing not just horses but all animals abandoned or lost in the hurricane.

Feed the Children
www.FeedtheChildren.org

Providing supplies, including food, bottled water, cleaning supplies, paper products and other emergency essentials to Louisiana, Mississippi, as well as Texas, Georgia and Tennessee to assist in relief efforts for those who have been evacuated from the devastated areas. Feed The Children will continue to provide supplies and relief for as long as necessary.

International Association of Fire Chiefs
www.iafc.org/hurricane/index.asp

Assisting with incident command as well as assessment and analysis of fire department losses.

Miracle Flights for Kids
www.miracleflights.org

Providing emergency transportation for children with special needs or those too infirm to travel by regular means with their families.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
www.nami.org

To aid victims of Hurricane Katrina with serious mental illnesses and their families, NAMI has established the NAMI Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

National Mental Health Association
www.nmha.org/katrina/imdex.cfm

NMHA is responding to the immediate mental health needs of those people directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, but we’re also planning a long-term response to help these people heal and move forward.

In the short term, NMHA is helping by: distributing fact sheets on Coping With Disaster for adults, parents, teens and younger children; providing emotional and psychological support to those responding to this crisis, including disaster response teams, journalists, reservists, police officers, members of the National Guard and many others; providing support to the thousands of children relocated and forced to attend school in new communities; coordinating a nationwide response from 340 affiliates to support Mental Health Associations and the volunteers in the affected communities who are trying to respond while coping with their own personal traumas; rebuilding affiliates decimated by the hurricane and partnering with other national and local organizations responding to this crisis.

NAACP Special Contribution Fund
www.NAACP.org

Partnering with MOVE-ON’s www.HurricaneHousing.org to secure transitional and long-term housing for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and attend to other immediate and long-term needs. Needs office volunteers.

Operation Blessing
www.OB.org

Rebuilding Together
www.rebuildingtogether.org

Accepting donations of money and the labor of construction professionals to assist in rebuilding storm-affected areas. See website.

Save the Children
www.savethechildren.org

Special focus will be on dislocated children, working with partners to bring some normalcy into their lives, especially among children who have lost their homes and their communities. Working with state, federal and local authorities to help dislocated children adjust to crisis over the long term.

Salvation Army
www.SalvationArmyusa.org

Printer-friendly page