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Prayers for Texas and ways to help

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(graphic by August Joffe)

Well if you’re like me then you haven’t been able to quit watching the news coverage of the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey on Texas over the weekend. We are just fine here in San Antonio after some rain and wind, but our beloved Texas coast and Houston area won’t be the same again for a long time. I’d like to ask you all to pray for Houston since the rain is projected to continue falling for days. Pray that God would calm this storm, cause the rains to cease and that Hurricane Harvey would go away for good. Pray for the people who have been affected, lost their homes and have nowhere to go at this point.

As I watched the news over the weekend, I was moved to tears several times by the outpouring of help and love demonstrated over and over again. In a time when it seems that all we hear about is the worst of humanity, this weekend we saw the very best of it in my dear home state.

Here are some ways you can help in case you are interested. All of these are organizations I trust to be diligent about using the money to help those in need.

1. You can request help, offer help, or donate to the Bayou City Fellowship Hurricane Harvey Outreach. This is my friend Amanda’s church and I know without a doubt that they will be good stewards of any money given and make sure that 100% goes straight to help victims.

2. AirBnB is coordinating free housing for those who need a place to stay. You can find a place to stay or offer a place here.

3. JJ Watt of the Houston Texans has started a Houston Flood Relief Fund. You can donate here.

4. You can donate through Samaritan’s Purse here.

5. The South Texas Blood & Tissue center needs blood donations, especially O negative and O positive blood. If you’re in San Antonio or the New Braunfels area, go to their website or call 210-731-5590 to schedule an appointment to donate blood.

6. The Texas Diaper Bank could use monetary donations and also actual diapers, for both babies and adults to help out families displaced by the hurricane. You can donate here.

7. Donate to a local food bank: San Antonio Food Bank
Corpus Christi Food Bank
Houston Food Bank

8. Convoy of Hope is taking donations here.

9. Disaster Assistance to apply for assistance online if you are in immediate need and are in one of the disaster areas.

If you happen to know of any other reliable charities or ways to help, please feel free to leave them in the comments. I’d encourage everyone to check the legitimacy of various organizations through Charity Navigator.

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  2. Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies helps people with disabilities. From their website: “We’re rallying stakeholders and working together to help get people to safety, and providing for any immediate needs they may have for durable medical equipment and other assistive technology, responding to evacuation and sheltering issues and problem-solving for a variety of immediate disability accessibility issues.”

    Info: http://www.portlight.org/hurricane-harvey-announcement.html
    Donate: http://www.portlight.org/home.html (square at bottom left of page)

  4. Thank you for this!! My husband’s non-profit, Step Forward Communities, just finished a 2.5 million dollar renovation of a low income housing complex in Rockport last month- which got the direct hit from the hurricane. Currently we have ten families not accounted for and massive damages to the property… We are headed out there tomorrow to help our residents. If you can help, please do so here-https://www.gofundme.com/fifty-oaks-apt-rockport-texas
    all money will go directly to help the families with their everyday needs: clothing, linens, furniture, food, etc. Thank you friends!! (all tax deductible too!)

  5. Thank you for providing these resources Melanie. You know I’m not a native Texan but have lived most of my adult life in Houston. The city has many flaws but I love it so and it is so hard to see it so devastated. My own neighborhood and my house have not been spared, but we are safe and will once again work together to help each other. As in the floods last year, we will see the body of Christ rise up to meet needs in Jesus name. And many of us will be given opportunities to show by our response to our own storms the love and peace that only comes from God.

    I would like to add a resource for your readers to consider supporting: Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief.

    http://texasbaptistmen.org/Ministries/Disaster-Relief

    They are already mobilized and so very efficient in what they do. I have seen them in action. The Red Cross utilizes them for meals in disaster areas. They train local congregations in mud out of flooded homes, they provide shower and laundry units and even childcare. Good men and women serving in Jesus name.

    I imagine I can speak for most all of us here in South East Texas when I say thank you for praying and please continue to lift us up. The flooding is still not over and recovery will be a marathon not a sprint.

    • Yes! The Texas Baptist Men are always one of the first groups to arrive at any disaster in the U.S. They are wonderful and well-respected in these situations.

  8. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is often one of the first responders in disaster situations. They provide clean up crews, literally thousands of meals, childcare, portable shower trucks and more. They are literally unsung heroes. You can see more of their work at http://www.namb.net, or Text SENDRELIEF to 41444 to donate now.

  10. WorldVision.org is taking up an emergency relief fund for Texas. They are an extremely reputable non-profit that works all over the world to help those who are in need.

  12. After Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, my family relocated to Missouri, but Lake Charles, Louisiana is still “home” and I was born in Texas and have many friends and family there. I’ve been so worried about people not understanding what these storms can do and have been praying constantly. I saw many people who are trapped, posting for help on facebook’s Saftey Check page, and wonder if anyone is monitoring it to make sure they are getting help!
    #GodBlessCajunNavy
    #PrayersForTexas

  15. Thank you so much, Melanie, for sharing ways for all of us to help those impacted by Harvey. And thank you also to all of the commenters for posting additional ways to contribute! As a native Texan living thousands of miles away from our much loved home state, I especially appreciate the ideas. Blessings and love,
    Brandi

  16. Thanks for putting this together Melanie. Makes it super easy to donate to the organization of my choice. I too have been glued to the TV just stunned at the devastation. This GA girl is praying for her hometown of Corpus Christi and all of those that have been in the path of this horrible storm.

  17. 100% of donations to Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) are used for charitable purposes. Mark donation for Hurricane Harvey and it will be used for that purpose. LCIF has already responded with a $100,000 emergency catastrophe grant.

  21. Please consider Team Rubicon for your donations – http://www.teamrubiconusa.org – Team Rubicon is a disaster relief organization staffed by volunteer veterans. You’re helping both those in harms way as well as our amazing military vets. We are all holding Texas in our thoughts.

  22. I would like to add my Church’s information as well.

    http://www.communityservices.org/news/2017/8/27/hurricane-harvey-slams-into-south-texas

    ACS helps our country–and ADRA is worldwide, but also helps in times of disaster.

    https://adra.org/adra-supporting-acs-in-response-to-hurricane-harvey/

    We just spent several days in Texas earlier this month, going as far south as San Antonio. I am so sad that this is happening right now, but I am so glad that as a country we are pulling together to help each other.

  25. Operation Renewed Hope is an organization that takes medical missions trips around the world, but they also support local churches and pastors during disasters. There’s nothing currently on the website about Texas, but I get their regular emails so I know they are working to help as they can. One of the things they do is give money straight to local pastors they know or have contact with so that they can help their church members.

    Here’s a link to their website so you can get an idea of what they do.
    http://www.operationrenewedhope.org/disaster/usa/index.html

    Here’s a link where you can donate-it’s a general donation page, but you can designate for the specific disaster.
    https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=562010033

  29. Melanie – Upbring (formerly Lutheran Social Services of the South), based in Austin, functions as the local arm of Lutheran Disaster Relief – they have a long-standing, solid reputation for doing outstanding work in the state of Texas when it comes to disaster relief. They are often contracted by both the state and federal government to handle case mgmt in the aftermath of an event like Hurricane Harvey – they will be some of the first to show up and the last to leave in helping people. People can visit their Facebook page or their website (www.upbring.org) to learn more about how to help. Thanks for posting your article on ways to help.

  30. https://sbdr.org/Texas/
    Many are asking how can we help. This is one way and 100% of the donations will be used to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey…
    During the past few days, all of us have been seeing the images and hearing the voices of people impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
    Whether on television or social media, even now we continue to hear about the storms still raging and threatening people in Houston and other nearby Gulf Coast areas.
    You can help with relief efforts by donating to SBDR.org/Texas. Please know that 100 percent of donations will be used to help those affected by the hurricane.
    This is done in partnership with Southern Baptist disaster relief ministries that are closest to the devastation and to people in need.

  31. THANK YOU for the information. My heart has been heavy and overflowing with this disaster. Prayers for Texas

  32. Thank you for this great post! Another fantastic local church is Church Project in the Woodlands. They have an incredible system of accountability and your dollars will be well used. http://www.churchproject.org/hurricaneharveyresponse.

    They sheltered displaced neighbors before they had to close because the water threatened their building then today, as soon as the water receded, they are re-opening as a shelter.

  33. Thank you so much for this post and for your prayers. I left my house 3 blocks from Buffalo Bayou on Sunday night with 2 inches of water inside. We waded out with 2 cats and 2 overnight bags. Our house now has 4 or 5 feet of water in it based on what we can see from 4 blocks away. We went to our daughter’s house about 8 blocks away but had to leave there today with her family – a 3 year old and a 1 year old. We are praying that it is spared even though things don’t look great. So much more water to be released. Still, my family in west Houston is alive and safe and our son’s family in Spring is alive and safe. So many blessings, including people like you who have not forgotten us. Please pray for everyone in Houston. We are tired and anxious and scared. But we know God will provide for us. He has already provided believers like you to pray for us.

  34. I’ve been watching the coverage too, and praying every day for Texas. So glad that you all are safe and sound. Take care of yourselves!! Love you all!

  35. Mel… thank you for this great list. When people who might not read your blog ( I know.. crazy!) ask how they can help, I’ve been sending them this link to your blog. It’s a great list with many different ways to help.

  36. Thanks, M. Bayou rising as I type. It’s not over, new evacuations happening now. Is your parents’ place ok? Take care of each other. Houston and Texas strong, resting in His arms.

  38. To everyone in Texas and serrounding areas you are not alone as states may seperate us we want you to know we wish you every ounce of prayers
    For our friends effected by family loss effected but property loss we will be there for you
    And our loves ones and friends on facebook
    We want you to know our prayers are strong and we will be there for you

  39. Not sure if it’s already been mentioned, but Texas Diaper Bank needs diapers (for babies and adults), and they can be sent via Amazon. They have a Facebook page with the specific needs listed.

  40. Melanie, the Bayou City Fellowship link is no longer valid. It would probably be a good idea to update. it.