How to Help Oklahoma Tornado Victims

May 21, 2013 at 2:15 pm by | Articles

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How to Help Oklahoma Tornado Victims

All of us here at LRWC have heavy hearts as we have learned of the devastation sustained in Oklahoma after the terrible tornadoes and storms ripped through that area yesterday.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost a loved one as a result of these storms and with the many who have lost their homes and everything they own.

Many of us can relate to such devastation after the East Coast was impacted by Hurricane Sandy last Fall.  We all know how important and touching it was to us as so many people helped Hurricane Sandy victims from across the country. The picture above shows how relief organizations from Oklahoma traveled to New Jersey after Superstorm Sandy to assist storm survivors here in our area.  Now it’s our time to help out the many hurting in Oklahoma!

Here is a partial list of places to make donations for Oklahoma Tornado Victims.  If you know of others, please leave the info in the comments below and we will add them to the list.

American Red Cross

  • The Red Cross has set up shelters in various communities. You can donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund here, and the organization also suggests giving blood at your local hospital or blood bank.
  • If you want to send a $10 donation to the Disaster Relief fund via text message, you can do so by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999. As in the case with other donations via mobile, the donation will show up on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your balance if you have a prepaid phone. You need to be 18 or older, or have parental permission, to donate this way. (If you change your mind, text the word STOP to 90999.)

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

  • This organization says donations will “go straight to help those in need providing tree removal services, laundry services and meals to victims of disasters.”
  • For more information, and to donate, visit Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief’s website.
  • You can send checks to: BGCO, Attn: Disaster Relief, 3800 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK., 73112.

Salvation Army

  • The Salvation Army is organizing disaster response units to serve hard-hit areas in central Oklahoma, including Moore, where it is sending mobile kitchens that can serve meals to 2,500 people a day, and to South Oklahoma City.
  • Supporters can donate online via the organization’s website, SalvationArmyUSA.org. You can also text the word STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation via cellphone.
  • If you want to send a check, the Salvation Army asks that you put the words “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” on the check, and mail it to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK., 73157.

United Way of Central Oklahoma

  • A disaster relief fund is being activated as of May 21 so that individuals can specifically donated to tornado relief-and-recovery efforts, the organization says on its site.
  • United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief Fund is open.  Donations may be made online here. Checks, with a notation of “May Tornado Relief” can also be sent to the United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK , 73101.

Feeding America

  • Feeding America, will deliver truckloads of food, water and supplies to communities in need, in Oklahoma, and will also “set up additional emergency food and supply distribution sites as they are needed.” You can donate online here.

Operation USA

  • The international relief group, based in Los Angeles, says it is “readying essential material aid — emergency, shelter and cleaning supplies” to help Oklahoma’s community health organizations and schools recover.
  • You can donate online here. You can also give a $10 donation by texting the word AID to 50555. Checks should be sent to: Operation USA, 7421 Beverly Blvd., PH, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Convoy of Hope

  • Convoy of Hope is also going the crowd-sourced route, using HopeMob, a site similar to Kickstarter but for raising money to help disaster victims and others in need, which charges no fees to the organizations that use it. Convoy of Hope’s goal on the site is to raise $15,000 in seven days to help Moore.
  • “Why 7 days? In these first 7 days the town of Moore, OK will be consumed with clearing out destruction and accessing their needs,” HopeMob says on its site. “Once those needs are known we want to be able to give them the funds to help them rebuild in the long term.”  You can donate online here.

Source: nbcnews.com