You Can Still Help Our Neighbors Impacted by Hurricane Laura

Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana on August 27, and hundreds of thousands of residents there and in East Texas are still without power and clean running water. The death toll continues to rise, as some people have been fatally injured while running generators or cleaning up rubble.

The images coming from the hardest hit areas are heartbreaking, and they've got people wondering what they can do to help our neighbors devastated by the storm.

There are organizations on the ground now who could use whatever support we can give them as they provide essential items and services to Hurricane Laura victims.

Save the Children is working to provide families displaced by the storm with hygiene kits and diapers. You can donate to this vital cause here.

The Cajun Navy Relief & Rescue is accepting monetary donations to fund their efforts, and are also accepting donations of cleaning supplies and respirators. You can get the details on how to help here. The site also has a link for requesting rescue if you're stranded somewhere in the wake of the hurricane. The site's been stripped to the bare basic elements so that it loads faster and is easier on data.

The Houston Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, which hosts food distribution events across the nation. They're accepting donations of money, food, and volunteered time, and their site lists ways local organizations can host their own food drives to help out. Get more information here.

The St. Bernard Project works to help low-to-moderate-income households rebuild and repair after devastating storms, with a focus on helping the elderly and disabled, veterans, and families with small children, as well as those with no or little insurance. Monetary donations go toward providing PPE to volunteers and team members, cleaning the muck out of flooded homes, and tools and technology to help make the cleanup and rebuilding process faster. They also work with similar groups to provide information and tips on how they too can make the recovery process easier on families and more efficient, and help prepare businesses and homeowners for future storms. You can donate here.

Project HOPE is working to get hygiene kits and PPE to evacuees and people who sheltered in place, as well as medicine and medical training. People without power cannot operate the home medical devices they normally depend upon, are without access to vital medications and medical supplies, or need help protecting themselves and others from COVID-19.  Find information on how you can donate to their efforts or volunteer here.

The Salvation Army provides food, hydration, and support services for hard hit areas. They're seeking monetary donations that will go toward individual meals, food boxes for families, and clean-up kits. More information can be found here.

The Red Cross is doing what it's traditionally done in the wake of devastation: providing emergency shelter, food, water, and relief supplies. Information on how you or your organization can help is available here.

The United Way of Southwest Louisiana is accepting monetary donations online, via text, and by mail. They're also accepting supplies at their warehouse in Lake Charles. Get information on how you can get involved here.