As we head into September, we've added the Gulf Coast Community Foundation Hurricane Laura Relief Fund and Direct Relief to our "You Shop. We Give" widget featured in our Giving Back Program.
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, based in Mississippi, is familiar with the recovery process caused by a catastrophic hurricane, the foundation is doing what they can to help these neighboring states with the establishment of the Hurricane Laura Relief Fund.
Direct Relief extended an expanded emergency response alert Friday to include more than a dozen health facilities in Arkansas, and an additional 18 facilities in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, cities where many evacuees have been housed. The group was deploying mobile food trucks and mobile showers to Louisiana to serve evacuees, and requested over-the-counter medicines and supplies, as well as personal care hygiene items. The organization has also been coordinating with Texas Emergency Management, Texas Public Health Department, Louisiana Public Health, Louisiana VOAD, Texas VOAD, and the Texas Red Cross.
The massive storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near the Louisiana-Texas border. It hammered the Gulf Coast, leaving leaves nearly 700K without power and at least 14 dead. Recovery could take weeks. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic creates additional challenges.