How to Help After Devastating Winter Storms

Powerful winter storms have been negatively impacting communities that don’t typically see this much snow and freezing temperatures. The unusual weather has resulted in many families losing access to electricity and clean water, not to mention the damage done by freezing pipes. Many places are in need of help to recover from these storms and provide for the families who’ve been affected by them.

We’ve put together a list of relief efforts taking place in impacted areas. Please consider contributing to one or more of these nonprofits working to help communities recover from these winter storms.

Texas

• Communities in Schools of Central Texas is accepting donations to help Texas families in their service area recover from the winter storm.
• Islamic Relief USA has partnered with MIST Houston to raise funds to help in the recovery efforts in Texas.
• United Way of Greater Houston is also raising funds to help the community in Houston.
• Austin Disaster Relief Network is mobilized to help. They also are a source of valuable information during the winter storm crisis, such as where emergency shelters have been activated.
• Salvation Army San Antonio is also providing Disaster Services.
• With many families going without power, access to reliable food and water has also been a major issue. Houston Food Bank is in need of donations to keep families fed during the crisis.
• San Antonio Food Bank is also seeking donations to assist with emergency distributions of food as a result of the winter storm.
• People First Future has also started fundraising to feed the people of Texas facing food shortages.
• Front Steps, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit that works to help the homeless has activated cold weather shelters and is continuing to provide services in the wake of the winter storm.
• SARAH, the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless has opened its shelters and activated warming centers for Texans in San Antonio and Bexar Counties.
• CityChurch of San Antonio, Texas has cancelled religious services to use their facility as an emergency homeless shelter.
• The Way Home Houston is a collaborative effort to decrease homelessness in Houston, Pasadena, Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Montgomery County, Texas. They’re providing increased services to people in their service area as a result of the winter storm.
• Austin Area Urban League is working to obtain shelter and safety for the at-risk communities they serve.
• The Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services is providing winter storm relief by raising funds for child-serving organizations throughout Texas. These organizations are experiencing unprecedented need because of the winter storm.
• B.I.G. Love Cancer Care, a Texas-based nonprofit whose primary focus is easing the childhood cancer journey, created an emergency campaign to support winter storm recovery efforts.

Oklahoma

• The Homeless Alliance of Oklahoma City, OK has activated warming centers and shelters. They’re seeking donations to continue providing services to Oklahoma City residents in need.
• The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is facing increased need from communities they serve due to the winter storm.

Louisiana

• Acadiana Regional Coalition On Homelessness and Housing is raising funds to help the homeless and families in need of shelter after the winter storm. They provide services to the Acadiana region of Louisiana.
• Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is working tirelessly to help families stay fed until their region has recovered from the winter storm. They’re facing increased need due to the loss of power in the region they serve.

Tennessee

• Downtown Rescue Mission has had to increase the number of people they serve as a direct result of the winter storm in their region of Southern Tennessee. They’ve posted an emergency request for donations to ensure the health and safety of the homeless population in their service area, provide food boxes to low-income families, and set up warming centers for those without power.

Give people a place to stay

Airbnb operates an “Open Homes Program.” People can offer their available living spaces for free housing to people displaced by disasters and to disaster relief workers who are involved in recovery. Keeping social distancing in mind, if you’re interested in opening a vacant property or rental to people who need a safe place to stay (or if you know someone who needs a place to stay), check out this Airbnb page.

Keep an eye on this page for updates

As more and more nonprofits mobilize to send relief, supplies, and aid to those affected by this unprecedented winter storm, we’ll update this list.