Take 10 Minutes to Help People in Texas After the Winter Storms

Last week, winter storm Uri pummeled the southern United States, leaving many to face dire circumstances and inhospitable conditions. People in Texas were left without power, water, access to food, or a warm place to sleep; some resorted to lighting gas grills to bear the freezing weather. To ramp up relief, local and nationwide grassroots organizations, as well as mutual aid groups, are expanding efforts by collecting donations. Here’s how you can help.

Shelter and Amenities

• The Dallas Wings, the WNBA basketball team, has joined forces with the American Fidelity Foundation and OurCalling to operate a shelter in the Dallas Convention Center. All donations up to $6,000 are matched. Contribute here.
•  With scores of volunteers, the Austin Disaster Relief Network has deployed supplies and generators, and has helped 10 churches launch shelters. Help them continue operations and expand by donating here. 
  

• Front Steps, an Austin-based organization that helps individuals transition out of homelessness, is currently requesting blankets via their website.

• Episcopal Relief and Development is working with a network of Episcopal dioceses to provide emergency shelters, gas, and groceries to vulnerable populations. Donate here to support their partners in Texas, as well as Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.  

Food

• A $50 donation to the Houston Food Bank will provide 150 meals, says the organization.
• Bread of Life, a Texas foundation that provides meals and wellness programs in the Houston area, is accepting donations at their website. (They recently announced a partnership with Beyonce’s foundation, BeyGOOD, and Adidas, to deliver funds to applicants, but submissions are presently closed.)
• The Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth delivers roughly 1,000,000 meals each week to fight hunger. Help them ramp up operations by donating here.
• World Central Kitchen, which partners with restaurants nationally to provide meals locally, is cooking for seniors and overflow warming centers in Houston. They expect to expand soon to other cities in the state. Make a one-time donation, or set up a recurring payment.
• You can also make a contribution to the North Texas Food Bank, the San Antonio Food Bank, which serves southwestern Texas, and Feed Texas, which partners with nearly two dozen food banks throughout the state. 

Mutual Aid Organizations

Mutual aid organizations across Texas are also taking donations to provide housing, food, and other resources to their local communities. These include Para Mi Gente in San Antonio, Austin Mutual Aid, Feed the People Dallas, and Mutual Aid Houston.

Aid to Those With Disabilities

To provide disaster relief directly to those with disabilities in any of the affected areas in the U.S., donate to The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies at their website.

If you are in need of relief in Texas, follow these links to find an open shelter, see a map of warming centers, or find a food bank serving meals.

Lead photo by Gabriel Tovar on Unsplash