how you can help those affected by hurricane sandy

We send our love and wishes to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. It’s hard to sit there and watch, so if you want to action and help out those who were adversely affected by the storm, we have compiled some steps you can take:

Source: abcnews.go.com

• One way to help is by donating to the Red Cross. All donations will provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by the storm. To donate, visit www.redcross.org, call 800-Red-Cross or text the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
• Nearly 100 Red Cross blood drives were canceled because of Sandy, so blood supplies are low in the areas affected the most. The Red Cross asks that those who can donate to schedule an appointment to give blood. The New York Blood Center is urging people to donate blood for those in the New York/New Jersey area. To donate, call 800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.
• The Salvation Army has dozens of mobile feeding units and shelters along the East Coast that are working to serve thousands in the most heavily hit areas. Visit www.salvationarmyusa.org to donate.
• Feeding America has thousands of pounds of emergency food, water and supplies in the disaster zone that it is working to distribute to the storm’s victims. To donate, visit www.feedingamerica.org or call 800-910-5524.
• AmeriCares is providing medicine and other supplies to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. To donate, visit www.americares.org.
• World Vision is distributing flood clean-up kits, personal hygiene items and emergency food kits to people hit by the hurricane. To donate, visit www.worldvision.org.
• Save the Children is also working to provide relief to families and their children. Visit www.savethechildren.org to donate.
• Samaritan’s Purse is asking for volunteers to help storm victims. To volunteer, visit their website.

Source: cnn.com

• Care for animals — The Humane Society of the United States and the American Humane Association have teams working to save the lives of animals caught in the storm.
• Join in the cleanup — Team Rubicon has dispatched veteran field teams to start working right away, and Samaritan’s Purse is looking for volunteers to help rebuild after the storm passes.
• Help outside the U.S. — Hurricane Sandy took a deadly toll on the Caribbean before it hit the United States. Operation USA and the International Medical Corps are helping people affected by Sandy in Haiti and Cuba.

“If you are planning to give to a nonprofit in the wake of any disaster, verify that it is legitimate. Charity evaluators like Guidestar and Charity Navigator are good ways to check that the organization you’re donating to is established and your funds will go where you intend.”