Over the weekend of Sept. 12-14, 2008, Hurricane Ike left a swath of destruction throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast. Thousands of people are homeless. Millions are without power and may be for several weeks yet. Many families have literally lost everything.
The Council on Foundations convened a conference call on September 16, 2008 to discuss the effect of Hurricane Ike and how other foundations could assist. Approximately 20 funders from the area were on the call. This is their "news from on the ground" and message to foundations and donors throughout the country:
A survivor of Hurricane Ike surveys the wreckage of his home and workshop. Photo: Scott Olson, Getty Images
The needs of many of these communities are significant, and thousands of people will require temporary shelter for an extended period of time.
- Residents of the areas hardest hit by Ike--Galveston and Chambers Counties--have been told they can expect a wait of one to two months before they can return and begin to rebuild. Electricity will not be back up for at least a month and there is no potable water.
- Louisiana communities already damaged by Hurricane Gustav have sustained even more destruction.
- Houston has begun a coordinated response to address the needs of its own citizens and those who moved inland from the coast. The mayor and the Greater Houston Community Foundation have established a Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund. In addition, companies with employees in the affected regions are using community foundations to distribute aid to the companies' employees who live there.
Area foundations are focusing on long-term relief efforts at this point. However, if you wish to offer immediate assistance, consider making a donation to charities that are supporting evacuees and are active in recovery efforts. The Network for Good has a listing of some of these charities at its site, and Charity Navigator offers tips on how to give wisely in times of disasters. The Hurricane Wiki has a more extensive list that includes organizations doing relief in the Caribbean nations.
You can also contribute to Hurricane Ike relief funds established by other community foundations. The Council on Foundations has identified two such funds, but there are more. You can check the websites of the community foundations in the affected areas for the most current information.
GULF COAST IKE RELIEF FUND
c/o Greater Houston Community Foundation
4550 Post Oak Place, Suite 100
Houston, TX 77027
www.ghcf.org
LOUSIANA DISASTER RECOVERY FOUNDATION
445 N 6th Street, Suite 200
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
www.louisianahelp.org
We will continue to update this information as we learn of other ways you can assist in hurricane recovery efforts.
September 16-19, 2008