Network for Good

Haiti Relief - Donate Now

2010-01-14T07:49:00.001-08:00

A massive 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. 3 million people have been affected by the quake and its aftermath. Reports estimate that over 70,000 thousand people may be dead and 1.5 million left homeless. Nearly all of Port-au-Prince is either damaged or destroyed, including much needed hospitals and facilities to house the injured. Emergency supplies such as food, water, medical supplies and clothing are desperately needed. The organizations below need your help now to be able to provide assistance in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

To ensure your contribution goes to Haiti relief funds, please remember to designate your gift to "Haiti Earthquake".

Organizations Working on Haiti Earthquake Relief:

*Charitable Deduction in 2009 for Haiti Relief Note: The House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 4462 on 1/20/10. This legislation would allow individuals who make charitable contributions to victims of the earthquake in Haiti to claim an itemized charitable deduction on their 2009 tax return instead of having to wait until next year to claim these deductions on their 2010 tax return. The legislation also includes a provision allowing those who text messaged a donation the ability to use a phone bill as proof of donation. Access the full announcement from the Committee on Ways & Means here.

*In-Kind Donations Note: If you are interested in donating physical items like clothing or supplies, please contact nonprofits that accept in-kind donations like the Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries International. At this time, cash donations are most needed so organizations can purchase the exact supplies necessary for emergency response.

*Adoption Note: As in any disaster of this magnitude, the children who may have been orphaned because of the earthquake would not become available for international adoption for at least 1-2 years to allow time to be reunited with their displaced family members. If you are interested in adopting Haitian orphans, please consult these resources:

*Animal Rescue in Haiti Note: The animal victims of this disaster will desperately need help too, and animal welfare groups are joining forces to come to their aid. (Click on the links below to donate.)

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Action Against Hunger

Tackling malnutrition and providing clean water to vulnerable communities.

Action Aid USA

Working on emergency aid and longterm rebuilding efforts.

ADRA International: Adventist Development and Relief Agency

ADRA providing medical help & supplies, water sanitation and food to Haiti.

America Continental 2000

Collecting donations at our warehouse in Delray Beach, Florida and working with the community around and volunteers provided by Volunteermatch.org.

American Jewish World Service

Enabling network of grantees to meet the urgent needs of the population.

American Red Cross

Seeing to needs for food, water, shelter, medical services and support.

American Refugee Committee

The American Refugee Committee works with refugee communities in 7 countries around the world and conducts disaster relief, helping people regain control of their lives. Our unique focus will be on long-term relief, reconstruction, and recovery services for Haitians.

AmeriCares

Working with partners to deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Architecture for Humanity

Helping to rebuild affected areas and promote earthquake resistant housing.

Be-Whole Incorporated

We operate several programs in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, NY, so we are in contact with Haitian americans with family in Haiti. We provide services to the community by serving and giving good to needy families.

Bless the Children

Bless the Children has mobilized volunteers for disaster relief efforts for Haiti. With donated funds we are providing medical support, food, water and family care packages.

Build Change

Designing sustainable, culturally appropriate earthquake-resistance housing and working with local builders and homeowners on implementation.

CARE Deploying response teams to distribute food and provide immediate aid.

Catholic Relief Services

Providing emergency relief and community development.

CDC Foundation

Teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are on the ground in Haiti and have identified critical supplies and equipment needed to address the growing public health crisis - items that CDC cannot purchase quickly through normal government channels. CDC is also beginning to outline long-term needs for helping Haiti rebuild its public health system.

Children's Feeding Network

We are rushing food, water and medical supplies to multiple orphanages in Haiti throughout the Island, and will be sending teams for phase 2 repairs in the near future.

Children's International Lifeline

Aiding Haiti with medical help, food, water, shelter to the earthquake refugees. Rebuilding homes for years to come.

Children's Nutritional Program of Haiti

The on-site offices and residences of CNP have been flattened. The hospital has been severely damaged and is not safe to use. We will partner with Save the Children and other organizations experienced with severe natural disasters to create an effective recovery program. An emergency medical team will provide emergency medical care with a small field hospital in Leogane.

Church World Service

Sending funds to local partners in Haiti. CWS-supported efforts will include the construction of temporary water systems, providing water purification materials, tents and food packages.

Clinton Foundation

Concern Worldwide

Mounting a comprehensive response to this crisis. Aid stocks on the ground are being distributed and more supplies are being flown in. We have committed, resilient teams reaching people with desperately needed aid.

Convoy of Hope

Establishing an emergency command center to distribute aid.

Crisis Recovery International

Crisis Recover International begins work at disasters during the recovery phase. We work with local organizations and provide assistance so that they can empower residents in their community to establish individual ability to be self-supporting as they recover from the disaster.

Cross International

Aiding with food and medical care.

Direct Relief International

Allocating up to $1 million in aid committed for earthquake response.

Doctors without Borders

Treating the injured and setting up replacement clinics in tents.

Double Harvest

Our 200 acre property comprises a large farm, greenhouses, fish project, medical/surgical clinic and a school.

Episcopal Relief & Development

Sending funds to Diocese of Haiti to provide essentials including food and water; working with Diocese of Dominican Republic to coordinate relief efforts and assist refugees.

FAME (Fellowship of Associates for Medical Evangelism)

From our warehouse in Indianapolis we plan to ship multiple containers to Haiti when the time is right. Provide funding for the reconstruction of medical facilities in Haiti.

Feed My Starving Children

We have worked with mission partners in Haiti for more than 10 years, and we currently hold close partnerships with nearly 200 Haiti-based programs. With your support, we will produce an additional 5 million meals for Haiti relief by March 1.

FINCA International

FINCA will remain in Haiti, as we have done for the past 20 years, providing hope and life-changing loans to some of the world’s poorest people.

Food for the Poor

Administering support and distributing supplies from it's warehouse facilities in Haiti. Dedicated to long-term relief efforts.

Freedom from Hunger

Freedom from Hunger is raising money to enable ACLAM (Action Contre La Misère) to rebuild capacity to act quickly to support the relief and recovery of the women, families and communities ACLAM has been serving.

Friends of the Orphans

Providing immediate medical aid for those injured in the earthquake at our hospital, St. Damien; providing funeral and burial services.

Global Giving

Directing funds to aid and development projects on the ground.

Glow Ministries

Providing financial assistance to help maintain primary schools, feeding programs, orphan and widow support as well as relief and development projects in Haiti.

Grameen Foundation

Helping quake survivors rebuild their businesses and lives through small loans.

Haiti Cheri Harvest Life Ministry

We are providing direct relief in Haiti. We have been working in the country since the year 2001.

Haitian Health Foundation

Providing health care, development, relief, and hope to the poor.

Haitian Ministries

Seeing to immediate aid needs.

Habitat for Humanity International

Addressing shelter solutions for low-income families affected by the Haiti earthquake.

Heifer Project International

Hope For Haiti

Working to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people.

Hope for Haiti's Children

Delivering medical supplies, food and water. The organization has been in Haiti since 1995 sponsoring children to go to school.

HUP Helping Haiti Foundation

Will concentrate rebuilding efforts (schools, commerce, housing, etc).

I.M.P.A.C.T.

Direct relief is underway and will continue for years, as in Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike.

International Action

Providing clean water, restoring water tanks, and giving drinking water to tens of thousands of people.

International Medical Corps

Providing medical care and other emergency services.

International Orthodox Christian Charities

Response team is coordinating with partners to provide relief.

International Relief and Development

IRD's relief team brought two truckloads of water, and will meet more than $5 million worth of commodities that have been sent to Port-au-Prince. IRD distribute medical supplies, medicines, rehydration salts, solar-powered lights, water purifiers, hygiene kits, and other basic humanitarian aid.

International Rescue Committee

Providing emergency relief and aid services.

Konbit Pou Ayiti/KONPAY

Coordinating a response by NGOs with decades of Haiti experience to make a rapid and strategic intervention.

Lambi Fund of Haiti

The fund channels financial and other resources to community-based organizations that promote the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people.

Lions Clubs International Foundation

Using donated funds, Lions are purchasing supplies locally, such as water, food, medicine and blankets.

Lutheran World Relief

LWR has committed an initial $1,000,000 to the relief effort. LWR is coordinating a two-phase relief and recovery response through our partners on the ground in Haiti.

MADRE

Activating emergency response through partner Zanmi Lasante Clinic.

Mercy Corps

Deploying an emergency team to provide relief and assistance.

Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) USA

Merlin's emergency response team is working with Haitians and other international agencies to meet the most urgent needs: water, sanitation, shelter, disease prevention and restoration of basic health services.

Medical Missionaries

Sending medical/surgical teams, supplies, food & clothing. We have a clinic in Haiti, along with trucks for transporting teams/supplies.

Mission Aviation Fellowship

MAF staff coordinate with government and NGOs to fly to remote airstrips delivering supplies and aid.

Mission Lifeline (Children's International Lifeline)

Aiding Haiti with medical help, food, water, shelter to the earthquake refugees. Rebuilding homes for years to come.

National Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul

Sending aid and supplies to network in Haiti for immediate relief.

Operation Rainbow
The first team arrived on Jan 17 and did triage and basic emergency care; the second team did external fixation, caring for the wounded and organizing evacuations to more suitable hospitals. The third team was able to do surgeries as the Xray had arrived. The team going on Feb 20 will follow up with internal fixation and patient care.

Operation USA

Sending medical team and supplies for immediate relief.

Oxfam America

Mobilizing a public health, water and sanitation team and supplies.

PADF: PanAmerican Development Foundation

PADF, the natural disaster relief arm of the Organization of American States, has more than 150 people working Haiti on economic development, disaster mitigation and protecting human rights.

Partners in Health

Providing community-based healthcare and assistance.

Plan International USA

Currently working with children to help them overcome the trauma of the earthquake. So far 250 children have taken part in Plan’s therapeutic games clubs, which provide them with a break from the misery of life on the rubble strewn streets.

Project Hope

Preparing medical disaster relief shipment and soliciting corporate medical donations.

Pure Water for the World

Providing clean water, installing filters, and setting up secure water filtration centers in earthquake stricken villages in Haiti. Now more than ever, the need for clean water is great.

Real Hope for Haiti

Currently housing 60 malnourished children. The organization has treated many people at its clinic, and one missionary is assisting at a mobile clinic in Haiti.

Reiser Relief

Haiti has been the main mission for Reiser Relief Inc. since 1996, we are responding with financial aid and the short and long term relief is providing the essential services to aid in day-to-day survival, water, food, medical supplies

Salesian Missions

Providing education, food, shelter and hope to the world’s poorest children.

Salvation Army

Operating schools, clinics, hospitals, food programs, children's homes.

Samaritans Purse

Samaritan’s Purse teams are working with a network of pastors to distribute critically-needed relief supplies for victims of the massive earthquake that rocked Haiti last week.

Save the Children

Sending teams to help support the emergency response.

Seton Institute

The Seton Institute, the international outreach arm of Ascension Health, is undertaking relief efforts to meet the immediate needs in Haiti and provide ongoing assistance as the nation recovers from this tragedy.

ShelterBox

ShelterBox has established three separate operational centers in and around Haiti to help distribute assistance to the estimated one million people left homeless by the devastating 12 January earthquake.

United Methodist Committee on Relief

Collecting health kits to send and working with staff on the ground to provide assistance.

UNICEF

Preparing long-term poverty solutions in health care, education, sanitation.

United Way Worldwide

United Way Worldwide’s members in the Caribbean region have mobilized their staff, volunteer leaders, partners and resources in response to this disaster, and will help to determine the most pressing long-term recovery needs, such as access to health care, rebuilding schools and housing, and meeting critical basic needs for shelter, food and clothing.

VIDA: Volunteers for InterAmerican Development Assistance

Providing medical supplies to the hospitals in Haiti.

Water Missions International

We are delivering, installing, and training people to operate Living Water Treatment Systems (TM), which filter and purify 10 gallons of water a minute. Systems are being installed at orphanages, missions, refugee camps, and other places where survivors are fleeing from the city.

World Concern

Providing emergency survival kits for families that includes medicine, clean water, food, blankets, plastic sheeting and clothing.

World Food Programme

Providing emergency food assistance and longterm development.

World Hope International

Mobilizing its 60-strong Haitian staff and community volunteers to respond with food, safe water, cooking fuel and other basic supplies as available. As the work of first responders ebbs, WHI will expand its response by mobilizing U.S. volunteers to assist the Haitian staff and communities in clean-up and rebuilding.

World Vision Int'l

Providing emergency relief services.

Yele Haiti (Wyclef Jean)

Building awareness, programs in education, sports, arts, environment.

Volunteer Information:

Due to current dangerous conditions in Haiti, please do not travel to the areas affected by the earthquake without explicit instructions from a qualified emergency response organization. Volunteer opportunities in Haiti will become available after the initial emergency response when the situation stabilizes so rebuilding efforts can progress.

Organizations with offices in the U.S. will likely need volunteers to help with fundraisers and community events, provide office support or to organize supplies pre-deployment. You can search for volunteer opportunities here (http://www1.networkforgood.org/for-donors/volunteer). CNN also has a listing of relief organization taking applications for volunteers here (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/)

New greatnonprofits.org Widget

2009-02-19T10:25:00.001-08:00

Get this widget!

Australia Bushfire Relief: How You Can Help

2009-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

More than 180 people have been confirmed dead as a result of bushfires in southeast Australia. Relief efforts for people and wildlife are underway in the area.

DONATE NOW!

You can help victims of this disaster by making a donation to the charities below. The relief funds for charities that are active in disaster work allow them to mobilize immediate assistance to people in need.

The Salvation Army
Salvation Army personnel in Australia are providing vital assistance to emergency service workers and other people affected by the bushfires that have killed a record number of people in the State of Victoria.
>donate now!

Australian Red Cross
More than 400 Australian Red Cross volunteers are working in relief centers, providing food, first-aid, information and support to people affected by the massive brushfires. (* Note this link will take you to the Australian Red Cross's donation page not powered by Network for Good.)
>donate now!

GlobalGiving has also begun fundraising efforts to restore the Australian forest:
> donate now!

Or, donate to local animal rescue facilities.
(* Note: These organizations have been quoted as sources by the LA Times and Associated Press. Hyperlinks will take visitors to donation pages not powered by Network for Good.)

Statewide Wildlife Emergency Service Inc.
W.R.E.S. is providing support services to injured and endangered wildlife within the Central Victorian and greater Victorian regions.
>donate now!

Wildlife Victoria
Wildlife Victoria is working to ascertain the safety of other shelters in the fire areas and to offer support and help with evacuation of animals already in their care if they need it.
>donate now!

Hurricane Relief: How You Can Help

2008-07-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

AFP/Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. Gulf Coast have fled their homes in response to Hurricane Ike, while others are still in great need in Hurricane Gustav's wake. Relief efforts are underway for evacuees and to support state and local authorities in their response.

STAY INFORMED!

DONATE NOW!

You can help victims of disasters like Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike by making a donation to the charities below. The relief funds for charities that are active in disaster work allow them to mobilize immediate assistance to people in need.

American Red Cross:
Helping evacuees in shelters in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas by moving workers, ready-to-eat meals, cots and blankets to more than 200 mobile feeding trucks.
>donate now!

AmeriCares:
Pre-positioning emergency relief supplies in a Memphis warehouse to rapidly respond to people's needs.
>donate now!

Best Friends Animal Society:
Moving hundreds of animals out of the local shelters in Louisiana to make room for hands-on rescue work after the storm.
>donate now!

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans:
Preparing to begin a humanitarian response after the storm.
>donate now!

Feed the Children:
Delivering truckloads of relief items for evacuees and storm victims.
>donate now!

Food for the Poor:
Providing relief to Haiti and have created the Hurricane Gustav Relief Fund to speed additional help to storm victims.
>donate now!

Mercy Corps:
Preparing to help those in harm's way through a network of local partners and neighborhood groups.
>donate now!

Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund:
Providing relief for Mississippians impacted by Hurricane Katrina and other emergencies including Hurricane Gustav.
>donate now!

Operation USA:
Partnering with established networks of community health clinics that are working around the clock to anticipate needs resulting from a major storm with storm surges.
>donate now!

Salvation Army:
Preparing mobile feeding units and kitchens in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.
>donate now!

Save the Children:
Assisting their Gulf Coast staff with children and families as they arrive at shelters.
>donate now!

World Vision International:
Coordinating with hundred of churches and community groups to host and help evacuees. Emergency supplies ready in Mississippi and Dallas; more on standby across the country.
>donate now!

You can keep checking this list, we will be updating it with charities who are on the ground helping people affected by this storm as that information becomes available.

If you would like to donate in-kind goods, you can do that via the individual state portals listed here or at America Responds With Love.

Support Midwest Flood Relief

2008-06-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

AFP/Getty Images

The worst flooding in the Midwest in 15 years has swamped vast sections of the U.S. farm belt, forced tens of thousands of people from their homes and caused at least one billion dollars in damage. Several charities have established special funds and sent disaster teams to the area.

Your donation today will help these charities continue to provide shelters, clean up supplies and meals for the victims along the Mississippi. Please designate your donation to Midwest Flood Relief or as indicated below in parentheses.

Donate Now!

American Red Cross (Disaster Relief Fund)
AmeriCares
America's Second Harvest
Church World Service
Farm Aid
Feed the Children
Salvation Army (Flood Relief)
World Vision

Bring an End to the Global Food Crisis

2008-06-13T08:36:00.001-07:00

AFP/Getty Images

According to Reuters Alertnet, more than 850 million people around the world go to bed hungry every night. Most of the world's hungry are not short of food because of a one-off disaster or crop failure but because of chronic, long-term poverty and food-price increases.

Help families get the food they need to survive by making a donation to one of the charities below providing support. Also consider monthly giving so that your contribution can continue to help communities around the world in the months ahead.

Donate Now!

Action Against Hunger

Adventist Development and Relief Agency International

Food for the Hungry

CARE

UNICEF

World Food Programme

Help victims of the Myanmar cyclone

2008-05-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tropical Cyclone Nargis hit the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar, also known as Burma with winds of up to 120 mph, leaving thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more people homeless. Restrictions on international aid have slowed down assessment and relief operations. InterAction members are responding to this crisis through a variety of mechanisms, including but not limited to: emergency medical assistance, transitional shelter, provision of non-food items, and debris clearing.

Help the victims by making a donation to one of these agencies below preparing supplies to be delivered as quickly as possible.

Donate Now!

• Action Against Hunger; preparing to launch an emergency intervention of water purifying tablets, water, rehabilitation/protection of water points, essential non-food items and emergency shelters, hygiene promotion, environmental clearing/clean up, food, cash and/or vouchers

• ActionAid; working in Irrawaddy, identifying the key needs of the affected population along with local partners to supply funding and emergency response

• Air Serv; is preparing to be a first responder, with helicopters ready to deliver crucial supplies and relief workers

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC); mobilizing large-scale relief effort with international partners; dispatching rescue workers; sending medical supplies; assessing longer-term development needs

• American Red Cross; has pledged funds and supplies in support of Myanmar Red Cross's efforts distributing drinking water, clothing, food, plastic tarpaulins and hygiene kits

• American Refugee Committee; working to distribute emergency supplies; pending approval of entry visas a rapid assessment team will be deployed to the region

• AmeriCares; assembling life-saving medical and other humanitarian supplies to be shipped immediately to partners on the ground in Myanmar

• Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team; sending a relief team from SE Asia to Burma

• Baptist World Alliance; has pledged $50,000 to assist with emergency relief efforts and is coordinating relief efforts with Baptists around the world

• Catholic Relief Services; supporting the emergency relief and response efforts of the Caritas Internationalis network

• Christian Reformed World Relief Committee; is appealing for funds and planning immediate intervention that includes shelter, water, and kitchen and medical supplies

• Church World Service; coordinating relief operations with a comprehensive assessment on-going

• Direct Relief International; partnering in Thailand and other neighboring countries to offer assistance to medical relief efforts for people affected by the storm

• Doctors Without Borders; distributing food, plastic sheeting, jerry cans and fuel for water pumps, and treating water; planning a mosquito-net distribution in the coming days to prevent malaria and and dengue fever

• Global Giving; providing emergency medical care, shelter, water and food and other immediate needs

• Habitat for Humanity; assembling a technical team to partner with other organizations in support of long-term shelter reconstruction efforts

• International Committee of the Red Cross; distributing preliminary and essential relief items - mosquito nets, tarpaulins, water and purification tablets

• International Medical Corps; securing emergency supplies including medical supplies, blankets, water purification tablets, sanitation items and hygiene kits

• International Rescue Committee; deploying operations, logistics, water and sanitation experts and hopes to bring in medical staff soon for an operation that would provide clean water, sanitation services, shelter materials, other urgent supplies and health care

• Latter-day Saint Charities; have a field team in-country and cooperating with other international agencies in disaster response

• Lutheran World Relief; assessing the situation and planning a response on behalf of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) network

• MAP International; working with partner organizations on the ground in Myanmar and other international agencies in order to assess the situation and respond

• Mercy Corps; helping partners on the ground bring relief to affected families

• Operation USA; responding with shelter, water purification and health care supplies after an assessment is completed by staff currently in the area

• Oxfam; sending aid through partner organizations with a mixture of cash funding, technical expertise and equipment where required

• Save the Children; distributing food, plastic sheeting, water purification tablets and other non food items

• The Salvation Army; dispensing rice, clean water and other relief

• UNICEF; providing child protection, water, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition and education

• United Methodist Committee on Relief; continues to monitor the situation and expects to respond to help the people of Myanmar recover as opportunities become available

• World Concern; pending a needs-assessment, expecting that to follow-up with food, water, and other basic needs

• World Food Programme; distributing food in cyclone-damaged areas of Yangon

• World Vision; providing assistance in the form of zinc sheets, tents, tarpaulins, and medicine

It’s Tax Time – Claim Your Charitable Deduction!

2008-02-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

• Login to access your donation records; sort by date and print a copy. When you donate to your favorite charity through Network for Good, your records are stored in one place, ready to claim.

• Tax tips; get answers to common questions about charity and tax deductions.

• Get some advice from Charity Navigator's video guide.

Have you already done your taxes?

• Put your refund to work by making a donationtoday. You can also set up a monthly donation to your favorite charity. It's quick and easy and you can change the designation at any time.

• If you aren't sure how much to give, check our our giving calculator.

As we dive deeper into 2008, consider making all your charitable gifts with us--it will save you time (and sanity!) this time next year.

Help Bangladesh Cyclone Victims

2007-11-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

Cyclone Sidr hit the southwestern region of Bangladesh leaving an extensive trail of destruction in its wake. The immediate needs that are urgently required include food and non-food items, emergency shelter, basic health care, clean water and the provision of basic relief items.

Donate to one of the charities below who are providing emergency relief on the ground.

CARE

Delivering emergency food rations, plastic water containers and pumps to remove polluted water from areas where it is likely to cause contamination

Catholic Relief Services

Helping the Bangladeshis who have been displaced and lost their homes, crops and livelihoods

Oxfam
Sending volunteers to the affected districts continue to evacuate people and provide relief

GlobalGiving's Fund for Bangledesh
Dispursing funds to organizations with active projects working with vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, including those supporting victims of the cyclone.

Save the Children

Distributing thousands of essential items for survival to children and families

UNICEF

Rushing emergency aid to families displaced by Cyclone Sidr

World Vision
Planning an aid response for families in the Mongla region of southern Bangladesh

If you would like to donate to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that are doing immediate relief work in the area you can make a donation from their website directly at http://www.ifrc.org/.

Support families globally

2007-11-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

Are You in the Movement Changing the World?

Join the 1 million moms uniting virtually to spread awareness and support a cause you love.

Change the world with your photo on the Million Mom Picture Page.

About the Million Mom Picture Page:
The “Million Mom Picture Page” is a monumental movement for mothers. It was created to allow moms, to have a virtual place to support their favorite cause(s) from the comforts of their home. In efforts to raise over $5 Million for charitable organizations, the Million Mom Picture Page is utilizing 1 million pixels, broken down into 10,000 boxes on its site (“pixel”= a single point in a graphic image; short for picture element, using the common abbreviation “pix” for “picture”). Each box will contain 100 pixels (or 100 picture profiles). We will use the image of the first “Mother”- Mother Earth, as the image for the backdrop. For just a modest donation ($5 minimum), each donor is given 1 picture profile where they can upload fun facts and a photo. As participants continue to join in the virtual march, the moms’ images will gradually shed light upon the earth, and have it glow with radiance. Thus creating an immense visual-virtual march of 1 million moms that will truly make herstory!

Explore the New Beliefnet

2007-11-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

Join the NEW Beliefnet Community

Beliefnet is the leading religious and spiritual online community. Become a member of the NEW online community and create a personal badge that promotes your favorite cause. At Beliefnet you can express yourself, connect with others, share your interests and beliefs, and discuss issues that matter to you.

The Beliefnet community is growing. It’s making a difference. And it’s FREE.

Join Beliefnet's community today!

Explore the Beliefnet Community.
Learn more about all that you can do there.
Fundraise for your cause.

Create. Support. Connect.

Help victims of the floods in Mexico

2007-11-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Emergency relief efforts are underway for thousands of people affected by a series of storms that caused the worst flooding in Mexico's history and tore through the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. Thousands are being evacuated to neighboring states while some 300,000 people remain trapped in their homes by the flooding.

You can help the victims of this disaster by making a donation to one of the organizations below:

Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
Providing food baskets for families in the Dominican Republic whose homes were swept away by the floods, or were rescued from the roofs of their homes

Catholic Relief Services
Providing food, water, blankets and other basic emergency supplies to thousands of affected families

Church World Service
Supporting an effort by a local partner organization to assist the most vulnerable and most impoverished; the ones who have not received assistance by local and national authorities during previous emergencies

Medical Teams International
Sending relief workers for initial disaster response and will assess where volunteers and supplies are needed

Save the Children
Assisting children and families affected by the deadly storm that battered the island of Hispaniola

World Vision
Working to ensure the safety of local families while they wait for roads to be cleared. Their Mexico staff is helping to move people to temporary shelters located in schools, parking lots, hospitals, and higher elevation areas

Create a charity badge for one of these organizations; you can spread the word to family and friends making a difference for the victims in need.

Southern California Fires

2007-10-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Raging wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes across Southern California.

To make a cash donation:
Your donation can help organizations obtain goods and services locally to issue assistance to victims.

San Diego Humane Society and SPCA
Help to rescue and evacuate pets

Volunteer San Diego
Support their Disaster Program which allows them to meet volunteer needs locally

San Diego Foundation
Support their After-the-Fires fund which will provide food, shelter, housing and address healthcare needs of the victims.

Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR)
Help reunify individuals and families displaced by these tragic fires

San Diego Zoo
Help restore the Wild Animal Park habitats affected by the fires by donating to the Zoological Society of San Diego.

American Red Cross
On Monday, 10/29 the American Red Cross issued a statement thanking donors for their support and stating that sufficient funds have been raised to cover its costs associated with the California wildfires crisis.

To offer non-cash donations (blankets, food, etc):
Please call a special hotline set up by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to offer your non-cash donations:
1-800-750-2858

To volunteer:
Search for ways to volunteer at www.californiavolunteers.org

Explore causes at AIMforGood

2007-10-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Donate, volunteer, chat and blog about causes that matter to you -- all in one location at AIMforGood.org. A new AOL site from AIM brings the chatting world of AIM to causes such as animal welfare, the environment, youth issues, natural disasters and more.

--Check out AIM for Good

--Create an AIM for Good Charity Badge

--Join the AIM for Good Charity Forum

5 ways to prevent breast cancer

2007-10-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

Because only 1 out of 10 women who have breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease, what women put on and in their bodies can make the difference. Pure Prevention helps women identify the environmental causes of the disease and inspires them to make smart choices about the products they use every day.

ACT; 5 everyday actions that can help reduce your risk of breast cancer

ASK; get the facts and test your Pure knowledge

LIVE; make pure choices every day

Support breast cancer prevention by making a donation to Breast Cancer Fund today.

Remembering 9/11

2007-09-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

On the anniversary of September 11th, we join thousands of individuals nationwide in plans to engage in acts of kindness and service honoring victims, survivors and volunteers. Get involved in your community today.

myGoodDeed.org
Post your own good deed plans for 9/11

Volunteer!
Enter your zip code and find volunteer opportunities in your community

Hurricane Felix slams into Central America

2007-09-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Felix hit the Caribbean coastline of Nicaragua and Honduras as a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful type of storm, and then weakened to a Category 3 within hours. Despite losing strength, the storm is still battering coastal areas with high winds bringing with it the threat of major flooding. Thousands have fled the area, but many indigenous people are said to be stranded on the Honduran border.

Help victims of this storm by supporting the relief efforts:

CARE; Donate Now
Preparing its immediate relief efforts to reach an initial 23,000 people with food, water, sanitation services and shelter supplies.

MADRE; Donate Now
Sending emergency aid to women and families threatened by storm; also helping victims affectively rebuild their communities on a stronger foundation.

>Read updates from residents and tourists in Central America
>View coverage of the storm

Help midwest flood victims

2007-08-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Rain storms, including remnants of Tropical Storm Erin, have caused persistent flooding throughout parts of the Midwest and southern U.S. The flooding has damaged thousands of homes and businesses, and has claimed at least twenty lives. Many of these areas were already saturated from the elevated rainfall during previous weeks. As relief operations in Texas and Oklahoma continue, approximately 20 counties in Minnesota, Wisconsin and northeast Iowa are under assault by more recent flooding, much of it along the Mississippi river.

American Red Cross; Donate Now
Providing sheltering, food, damage assessment and counseling as families begin to recover from their losses.

Hurricane Dean

2007-08-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Dean hit Jamaica and then slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 5 storm; electricity was out in Chetumal where the eye of the storm hit. Most residents in the coastal heeded warnings to seek shelter or evacuate.

Many charities are in touch with their Mexico-based staff members monitoring the storm damage and preparing to mobilize relief supplies, delegates and/or financial assistance as needed.

>View photos from Hurricane Dean
>Support the American Red Cross National Disaster Fund
>Support Food for the Poor

Forecasters do not believe the storm presents a threat to the United States, although officials in Texas continue to make storm preparations just in case Dean's path takes an unexpected turn.

Help Peru Earthquake Victims

2007-08-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

A powerful earthquake shook Peru killing hundreds and injured at least 1,000. Many people were killed in the rubble of their homes and some were in a cathedral when it collapsed.

You can help victims right now by supporting the charities below:

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC); Donate Now
Mobilizing efforts to help those in need

American Red Cross; Donate Now
Supporting the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in its response to the earthquake

Call 1-800-257-7575 to speak to someone at the Red Cross in Spanish

CARE; Donate Now
Assessing the humanitarian needs and will respond accordingly

CHF International; Donate Now
Mobilizing staff to assess needs and damage, and designing both immediate and long-term recovery programs

Direct Relief International; Donate Now
Offering assistance to the Peruvian American Medical Society (PAMS) and healthcare partners

MADRE; Donate Now
Responding with urgently needed items like blankets, clothing, food and medecine

Oxfam; Donate Now
Assessing damage and humanitarian needs in the region south of Lima

Partners of the Americas; Donate Now
Focusing on short-term relief for disaster-stricken areas

Save the Children; Donate Now
Conducting a rapid assessment of the needs of children and their families, and to provide lifesaving relief

World Vision; Donate Now
Helping to deliver relief survivors

UNICEF; Donate Now
Transporting emergency supplies and making sure the affected population has safe water

Volunteers for Inter-American Development Assistance (VIDA); Donate Now
Delivering donated medical and disaster relief supplies

You can also support recovery projects in Peru at GlobalGiving

Help Flood Victims

2007-07-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

Areas across northern and central Texas have been hit with floods that have submerged hundreds of homes and businesses. Heavy rains have also caused flooding in Oklahoma and Kansas. Victims need your help to provide things like meals, snacks, and shelter while relief groups assess the ongoing assistance that these communities will require.

Donate Now
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund

Donate Now
Catholic Charities of Central Texas

Wedding Favors for Charity

2007-05-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Looking for wedding favors that are unique, meaningful, and will always remind guests of your special day? Make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your guests—the most personal gift you can give:

* Honor a loved one with a donation to their favorite charity.
* Celebrate your community with a donation to a local charity.
* Remember a family member with a memorial donation.
* One for each of you? Choose two charities.

How Favors for Charity Works:

* Decide how much to donate; give a set amount or a few dollars per guest.
* Order place cards to let your guests know about your gift. (optional)
* Make a donation and purchase place cards; we will send you a receipt
* We make the donation to the charity of your choice.

Get started today!

Midwest Tornadoes

2007-05-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

A deadly tornado struck southwestern Kansas destroying most of the town of Greensburg. You can help those affected by the tornado by helping to provide shelter, food and emergency supplies.

>Make a Difference. Volunteer.
>American Red Cross: Donate Now!
>Safe and Well List: report your status or search for a loved one

Help the VA Tech community

2007-04-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

You can remember and honor the victims of the tragic events by making a donation to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. The fund was established by the university to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

Money raised will be used to cover expenses such as:
Assistance to victims and their families
Grief counseling
Memorials
Communication expenses
Comfort expenses

You can also spread the word about the memorial fund by adding the charity badge at right to your website, blog or social networking page; all you have to do is click on "copy" and you can display the badge anywhere online.

Some additional sizes:

Got fundraising ideas? ChipIn!

Create fundraisers for free

Eco Chic Flowers for Mom

2007-04-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

Since Eco Chic is all the rage these days, why not give an organic bouquet to Mom this year for Mother's Day? You can send fabulous flowers that benefit charity through Flowers for Good. She’ll love it and it supports mother earth!

>Order any flowers or product from www.flowersforgood.com; all flowers are grown using the best certified sustainable practices

>Choose from among 10 charities; learn more

>We'll include a message about your donation when we send your flowers!

Alabama and Georgia Tornadoes

2007-03-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

Tornadoes have hit areas all over the South this past week, killing and injuring many people in its path as well as destroying local businesses and houses. You can help victims affected by the disaster.

>American Red Cross: Donate Now!
>Alabama Disaster Relief Drive
>Give blood

Flowers for Good

2007-02-04T17:08:00.000-08:00

Not sure how to thrill your Valentine this year? We have a GOOD way! Give Flowers for Good; your Valentine will love them and so will some of your favorite charities!

>Order any flowers or product from www.flowersforgood.com; all flowers are grown using the best certified sustainable practices

>Choose from among 10 charities; learn more

>We'll include a message about your donation when we send your flowers!

If you are feeling lucky, you can register to win the World's Tallest Roses!

It's Tax Time!

2007-02-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

As tax time draws near, be sure to access your donation history and claim your tax deduction.

You can also find answers to common questions about charity and tax deductions in the Network for Good Tax Guide

Award-winning charities

2006-12-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

This month, Fast Company and Monitor Group recognize some incredibly innovative charities in the Social Capitalist Awards. They honored leaders who combine savvy business models with solutions to pressing social needs, from Maria Otero, who has trained banks around the world to provide small loans to poor people at Accion International to Rob Waldron of Jumpstart, which trains college students to work in pre-schools in low-income areas.

You can give to any of the winners' charities through Network for Good on the award site.

World AIDS Day

2006-11-30T15:21:00.000-08:00

In honor of World AIDS Day, consider a donation to one of the following charities.

YouthAIDS
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
AmFAR

Also, check out the YouthAIDS "kick me" campaign for an unusual, attention-getting way to take action!

Who is Giving Online?

2006-10-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

If your're curious about who is making charitable donations online, the answers are in a study we recently released on $100 million in online giving to 23,000 charities.

Some highlights of the study are:

-Online givers are young (38-39 years old) and generous, giving several times more than offline donors on average.

-Virtually all of them (96%) have given to charity before, but a sizable proportion (38%) is new to online philanthropy.

-Online giving is tracking to the trends of online shopping and banking, and it is the avenue of choice for donors during disasters.

-Most people give online during the week, during business hours – most commonly, between 10am and noon.

-New York is the most generous state for online giving; Mississippi and North Dakota are the least generous.

-Giving online follows the same “long tail” phenomenon seen in online sales of books and music.

-Most online giving goes to disaster agencies.

-People say they give online because it’s easier than writing a check and a fast way to respond to disasters.

If you want to share feedback on why you give online through Network for Good, we would love to hear from you!

California Wildfires

2006-09-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

California is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in a decade, and the most brutal part of the season - fall - has only just begun. Nearly 400,000 acres in California's national forests have burned this year. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for Ventura County, clearing the way for government assistance with costs related to the fire.

Take time to learn how you can protect yourself and consider supporting an organization like American Forests that restores areas damaged by wildfire, where critical wildlife habitat has been lost.

Carbonfund.org Foundation

2006-09-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Global warming is top of mind; especially with recent news of the greenhouse law that passed . There are some great new services by sites like Offsetters.com, My-Climate.com for peple who drive hybrids and remodel their homes to be more energy efficient. An organization doing good work in this area is Carbonfund.org. Take a minute to engage in some of their events or learn about how you can have a positive impact on stopping climate change. They make it easy and affordable for people and businesses to reduce their climate impact. Their motto is, Reduce What You Can, Offset What You Can’tTM.

Make a donation to Carbonfund.org.
Do a world of good. Offset your carbon footprint today.

Like us? Vote for us!

2006-09-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Network for Good is a finalist in the 2006 International ePhilanthropy People's Choice Award for our holiday campaign that resulted in more than $7 million donated to charity. Vote on or before September 18 to have your vote included in the final tally!

Interview with Freddi

2006-09-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Q: You were very young when you started writing A Kid’s Guide to Giving—why did you decide to start the book. What was your motivation?

A: Initially, I was motivated by frustration. I wanted to donate to a charity, and didn’t want to do it blindly, so I started doing research online. The information on these charity websites wasn’t kid-friendly, so I started by taking notes on each one in my own words. I made a list of questions and emailed or called every one of the organizations to get the answers. Pretty soon I had a huge pile of information. My mom suggested that I make it into a book, to save others the trouble that I went through. I didn’t have to think twice about doing it. I remember how difficult it was, and I didn’t want others to have to experience what I did, so I took my frustration and turned it into something productive.

Q: Why does giving & volunteerism mean so much to you? Are there any stories that you would like to share?

A: I love the feeling I get from giving, but that’s not the reason I do it. It means so much to me because it should. I see it as my responsibility as a human being on this planet to give back to a world that has given me so much. I was working at an animal adoption program at a local farmer’s market once when I was in high school, and I got so attached to the dog I was taking care of that I convinced my aunt to come and adopt her! I get very involved in my work, and seeing that I’ve made even a small difference makes all of my time and energy worth it.

Q: What advice would you give to kids who want to start giving?

A: My best advice for a kid who wants to give is to find something that inspires them. When you are passionate about a cause, you can use that passion to make change. And remember, no change is too small.

Q: What charities mean the most to you? Why?

A: That’s a difficult question. I know many people who have a particular cause that they are extremely dedicated too, but I’m still looking for mine. Issues involving children are very important to me. When I was younger, I’d watch the news and see images of kids my age suffering from hunger or poverty. I talked to my parents about doing something when I was about 12 or 13. They suggested I sponsor a child through Save the Children, so I did. I was assigned a girl named Myrlene. She was three years old, and lived in Haiti. I wrote letters to her every month and gave money for her food and education for several years, until her community was stabilized and Save the Children could move on to another area. I kept her picture on my desk as my motivation, a reminder of the difference I was making.

Q: What do you think is the best way to encourage kids (and adults!) to start giving?

A: I think most people want to give, but when something doesn’t affect us directly, it’s easy to forget that it’s a problem. It’s important to be aware of global issues, as well as local ones. I don’t think kids need encouragement, but rather to be told that the world needs their help, and that it is in their power to make a change.

Q: What do you hope that this book will accomplish—do you think that it will make a difference?

A: I’m optimistic; I do think it will make a difference. I hope it inspires kids to care—to go into the world aware of their power to help. It’s easy to fall into apathy or feel like one person can’t make a difference. I want to inspire others. That is my goal.

Katrina's Children

2006-07-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Trainer Olayeela Daste, far left, demonstrates some musical instruments that caregivers can use to promote healing in children.

Mercy Corps Hurricane Katrina Stories; submitted by Tanya Zumach, Senior Web Marketing Manager

Using funds donated by thousands of supporters, Mercy Corps is helping restore a collapsed system of crucial support services for youth in the Gulf Coast. One element of the initiative, Comfort for Kids, reaches out to educators, social workers, and health professionals, giving them the tools they need to minister to traumatized youngsters.

Trainer Olayeela Daste asks the participants in one session to think about how to re-create for children the "pillars of security" - people, routine, ritual, and place. For example, establishing a predictable routine of story times and other activities goes a long way toward restoring a sense of order. For younger children, playing with construction toys can provide a sense of rebuilding their environment.

For children of all ages, workbooks provide a powerful tool for processing traumatic experiences and moving on. Mercy Corps is providing thousands of copies of two publications, My Hurricane Story and My Katrina and Rita Workbook, to schools and health care workers in Louisiana and Mississippi. Together with a curriculum, "What Happened to My World," the resources guide children and adults in the healing process.

Rebuilding the ravaged Gulf Coast isn't simply a matter of bricks and mortar, plywood and stucco. Like the splintered houses and barren landscape, the emotional well-being of the area's residents - especially the children - must also be carefully repaired.

My Hurricane Story

2006-07-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

8-year-old Nicholas lost his house, his pet turtle and his friends during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Writing about it helped, he says.
Photo: Dan Sadowsky/Mercy Corps

Here at D'Iberville Elementary School, a few miles from where the Gulf of Mexico laps the sands in front of Biloxi's casinos, nearly every kid has a hurricane story. And the prevailing theme is loss.

Eight-year-old Nicholas lost his house, two sets of friends, his pet turtle and the company of both parents, who separated in the aftermath of the storm.

Nicholas and his classmates at the local Boys & Girls Club were encouraged, through Mercy Corps' Comfort for Kids program, to write essays about how the hurricane affected them.

"I wrote about my pets, my friends, how I had to move back and forth," says Nicholas, a puckish, freckle-faced blonde who broke away from a frenzied game of duck-duck-goose to talk about the experience.

Tara Haney, the D'Iberville site director, says about half the kids lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, which leveled trees and houses and piled up billions worth of damage across coastal Mississippi. Most of the youngsters at D'Iberville are coping better than one might expect, Haney says, but the essays did raise red flags for a few of the kids. The stories were "heartbreaking" to read, she says, but a healthy release for the kids to write. "They were able to get it all out," says Haney.

Nicholas, who is in second grade, had a lot to say. "The hurricane made me move to North Carolina, away from my friends," he says, recounting what he wrote. "And then my new friends in North Carolina, after the hurricane was gone I had to leave them, too."

What's more, the storm coincided with his parents' divorce. Since returning to the Gulf Coast, he's lived with his mom and siblings in a FEMA trailer on the property of a family friend in the town of Gautier, Mississippi, about 15 miles east of D'Iberville. His dad remains in North Carolina.

Writing about his ordeal helped work out some of his feelings, Nicholas says. "At first it was depressing and sad. But if you don't let out your emotions, you're going to explode. So it helped."

Excerpts from essays written by Boys and Girls Club participants through the Comfort for Kids program:

Girl – Age 8
For Katrina I was at my house. Hurricane Katrina hurt our house. It was flat like a pancake really, but I wish I did not stay. I feel really bad about it. It is hard for me. I don’t feel good right now. I wish the hurricane has not come here.

Girl – Age 12
Hurricane Katrina affected us and our Boys & Girls Club. My house and my Boys & Girls Club are gone. My school is a bunch of trailers by the school. The Boys & Girls Club is in the cafeteria. I am living in a trailer as big as a room. Every day we have to use Porti-Pottys. I was very sad because I lost my cats. There is like not one house that is in my neighborhood that is livable.

Boy – Age 13
Hurricane Katrina has affected my life and the Boys & Girls Club Pass Christian Unit in a whole lot of ways. It has affected my life by taking my house and I don’t have anything I used to have such as my old clothes and my scrapbooks. I also lost a lot of pictures of my friends who are no longer here.

Girl - Age 11
My neighborhood was destroyed. It left so many people without family, and houses, and jobs. Then to make it worse, we had to live without TV and water. It made me realize that what I have today could be gone tomorrow. I am thankful that I did not lose my family or friends. Without my family I couldn’t have gotten through the storm. They calmed me down when I got upset.

Boy – Age 11
Katrina affected my life because I had to move. I did not like most of the changes. A lot of things happened to me. My school changed, my house changed, my friends changed and also my family.

Girl – Age 10
When I was hit by the hurricane many things happened, and many things changed. Many of my family died. All of my friends were gone. People say that if you believed in luck your house would still be there, but they were wrong. My house and everything in it was gone. So now we live in a FEMA trailer and we are lucky we are one of those that don’t have to live on the street.

How YOU can raise money and volunteer for the Gulf Coast

2006-07-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Guest blogger Corinne Berkseth and members of her church, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Alexandria, Virginia, raised over $33,000 between December 2005 and April 2006 to rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. With four other Good Shepherd “rebuilders,” Corinne recently joined volunteers rebuilding homes in the low-income area of East Biloxi, Mississippi and hopes their story will inspire others to help. Here are their tips for getting started with raising money or giving time.

When my church, Good Shepherd Lutheran, decided to raise the $25,000 needed to rebuild a home in East Biloxi, we did it to help one, specific family. But in the process, we became part of a broader effort to rebuild the community of East Biloxi. It has been, and continues to be, an amazing experience. Sound like something you or your organization would like to be a part of? If so, consider traveling to Biloxi to provide hands-on construction help, making an individual donation, or organizing an effort to raise $25,000 and sponsor the rebuilding of a home. You will rebuild much more than you can imagine. You will bless a family, a community and yourselves even more!

How to Raise Funds

Think raising $25,000 sounds like a daunting task? We did it, and YOU can, too! Maybe these ideas will kick off your own campaign.

• At Good Shepherd, we formed a committee of about 10 people and coined our house sponsorship effort Rebuild, Renew, Rejoice! We developed a logo and used it with the theme consistently to brand the effort.
• We kicked off our outreach in mid-December with a letter to congregation members and kept them abreast of progress (including heartfelt thank yous!) with announcements in the church bulletin and at services and through a follow-up letter. Individual member donations were a BIG part of our success.
• We encouraged people to be creative in supporting the effort—one member raised $525 (and a $500 company match) through a “pay to wear jeans to work” day at her office. Another asked for donations to Rebuild, Renew, Rejoice! in lieu of birthday gifts.
• The free will offering at a popular church event benefited Rebuild, Renew, Rejoice! and kids in a member’s neighborhood raised $130 by holding a car wash.
• We partnered with Crusader Lutheran in Rockville, Maryland, where we presented the effort during a Lenten dinner program. They collected donations over a couple of weeks and added nearly $500.
• We applied for matching funding through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
• Our Sunday School leaders got the children involved and helped them learn about the rebuilding efforts by “building” banks. Their bank collections were then contributed to Rebuild, Renew, Rejoice!
• We held a very successful community silent auction in Old Town on April 1. It was a big effort, but well worth it!
• Although we did not know whose home we would rebuild until the very end of our campaign, we kept the focus on providing concrete help to one specific family. We also contrasted the time that had passed with the need that is still so great on the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans.

The response and generosity of our congregation and our community was more than we could have imagined. We surpassed our goal, raising over $33,000 by our target date of Easter Sunday. These activities worked for us but are just the beginning.

What will you do?

A Katrina Volunteer's Story

2006-07-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Guest blogger Corinne Berkseth recently joined volunteers rebuilding homes decimated by Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her team, which was organized by Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, rebuilt the home of “Ms. Helen.” Corinne calls the experience the “most incredible and rewarding experience I’ve ever had.”

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."- Margaret Mead, Anthropologist/Scientist (1901- 1978)

Day 1: Arrival—Beach Boulevard

The people of Mississippi are so gracious and so grateful for the help of strangers. We were still at the airport when we were first thanked for coming and helping. I’ve never heard the simple words “thank you” sound as sincere and heartfelt. So began the journey Robbie, Sam, Jaime, Blake and I would travel over the next week plus.

En route from the airport to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, whose convent would serve as our Biloxi home, we drove Beach Boulevard/Highway 90. I had volunteered in Biloxi in September 2005 mucking out flood-damaged homes. Though many had told me there was still much work to be done, I was saddened to see how similar the landscape looked eight months later. It’s not that work hadn’t been done--the massive debris piles that were everywhere in September were all but gone. And yet all along the drive were twisted metal remnants of restaurant signs, bare concrete foundations, apartments, hotels, homes with gaping holes and huge trees pulled out by their root balls. Many months after the storm, the enormity of the Katrina disaster was, and still is, overwhelming. I shared my thoughts with my traveling companions and then tucked them away, not knowing what to do with them,

Day 2: First Day of Construction

Robbie, Jaime, Sam, Blake and I were working on Ms. Helen’s home because our church, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Alexandria, Virginia, had raised money to sponsor the rebuilding of a specific house in Biloxi, through Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia (HFHNV). HFHNV estimates the cost of rebuilding a home like Ms. Helen’s—severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina and stripped to the studs and foundation—at $25,000. As we traveled through East Biloxi that next morning, heading to Ms. Helen’s home, I had much the same reaction as I’d had on Beach Boulevard yesterday. By the looks of the neighborhood, there are many other homes in need of sponsorship. But, these thoughts were quickly buried in the activity of stepping into the gutted house, meeting Ms. Helen, and commencing rebuilding construction.

Our house (construction) leader, Hap, a seasoned volunteer from Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, gave us an overview and safety demonstration on all the power tools. Then, he divided us into small groups and distributed construction tasks. Robbie and I were teamed with Donna, another dedicated HFHNV volunteer, who taught us how to frame our first wall (albeit a small one) before lunchtime—wow!

Days 3-33: Construction

Volunteers came and went during a five-week period. Over the next six to 30 days, with a variety of Northern Virginians and Air Force volunteers from nearby Keesler Air Force Base, we framed more walls, sealed gaps between the walls and floors to inhibit the spread of fire (should one ever happen), reinforced floor supports, helped redo pipes and plumbing, patched holes, replaced all the windows, hung insulation and drywall, and much more. From our starts as construction novices, we learned to use a variety of power and other tools, and then were able to actually teach others.

We also got to know our homeowner. Ms. Helen is a widow and a Head Start teacher one year from retirement. She was facing major home repair costs, and soon, a fixed income. The floodwaters reached nearly eight feet high in her home and she lost everything save a few mementos she salvaged from the mud left behind. Since November, she has lived in a FEMA trailer, parked beside her ruined house.

Ms. Helen told us about her feelings of hopelessness as she saw a few houses around her being rebuilt. She raised ten children in this home; it was the only home she’d known for years. Now it was merely a shell and the prospects for rebuilding on her own were grim. But she drew personal strength from prayer and said our efforts were a Godsend. Getting to know her and being able to help in this critical, personal way is the gift we continue to receive.

As a special way of saying thank you, Ms. Helen treated us to home cooked, southern-style lunches on several days—red beans and rice, gumbo, and more—yum! It was a wonderful way of showing her appreciation. Approximately six homes were being worked on during the May construction trip, and other homeowners fed us too.

As the days came and went, we participated in the progress made on rebuilding “our” home, delighting to show Ms. Helen each day what had been accomplished. Many of us were not used to long, hot days (approximately 7:30am-5:00pm, though the time flew by) of manual labor. But it was so satisfying—milestones you could see and photograph and show the homeowner. By the time I returned home, some drywall had been installed on the ceilings and the house was ready for the open-frame and plumbing inspections. The inspections have since passed, drywall has been hung, and the paint Ms. Helen chose is going on the walls. Her home will be completed soon—I couldn’t be more excited for her or to have been a small part of the effort.

Day 5: BBQ at Jerry and Glenda’s

I’m backing up here to return to my tucked away sadness for the rebuilding progress yet to be made in Biloxi, and especially in East Biloxi. These feelings had been in the back of my mind amidst all the construction activity.

At the end of workday number five, we trekked the short distance to Jerry and Glenda’s for a BBQ. It was for me a reunion of sorts. Jerry and Glenda’s home was one of the houses my group had helped gut in September. One of their only belongings to survive Katrina was their barbeque barrel, and they had barbequed for us then too. Our small group had gathered with them on the front porch of their unlivable home where we enjoyed Jerry’s fabulous BBQ and the fellowship of shared work amidst the seemingly hopeless situation they faced back in September.

This night, on day five, was a festival. Loads of their friends and family gathered in the yard, there was a tented roof over a banquet table of food crowned with Jerry’s famous BBQ, a DJ spun music, and a celebration was brewing. Jerry and Glenda were in the process of moving back into their home, and I saw in that gathering the progress that was happening in East Biloxi.

And the progress was springing up around East Biloxi. During the BBQ, I visited with Mr. Price and could see his home across the street—renewed and neat, with a welcoming wreath hanging on the front door. His was the first home I had worked on in September—I had helped to power wash mold out of the gutted interior. It had been the day we had enjoyed BBQ at Jerry and Glenda’s. I was struck by the full circles these two homes, and homeowners, had traveled. And I was encouraged by the progress that was happening, that is happening.

Blondieva's Habitat for Humanity House

2006-06-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

My name is Blondieva Alexander-Gines, and I am a survivor, not a victim, of Katrina.

I live in Biloxi, Mississippi, and this is my house. Volunteers built this house two years ago. Then, after the hurricane filled the house with four feet of water, it was filled with volunteers once again. This is the house that charity built twice.

On Sunday, August 28, 2005, my baby sister called and said, “This storm is going to be bad.” She was packing her family and our father, who has Alzheimer’s disease, to go to her son’s house in Columbus, Georgia. I stayed a just few more hours – long enough to direct my church choir, because the members were already at church, dressed and ready to sing – and then left with my family and our two dogs for a friend’s house in Hope Hull, Alabama. We packed only enough clothes and shoes to change into the next day. We thought we were going to turn around and go back home after the storm.

On my way to Hope Hull, I talked to a friend who decided to stay home and ride out the storm. She told me that she was going to stay and trust the Lord. I told her that I trust the Lord, but He said obedience is better than sacrifice, and it was mandatory for us to leave our home. Early Monday morning, August 29, 2005, she called my cell phone again. She didn’t say hello, but was screaming “Oh my God! Oh my God!” I kept asking her what was wrong and she told me that water was up to her porch. I told her to call 911 and get out of there. She was able to get out, and when she called again, it was to say our homes were destroyed. My house had about 4 feet of water in it; my sister’s had water up to the roof. Everything was lost.

I had moved into my house less than a year before, after Habitat for Humanity dedicated it on December 19, 2004. My mother died the morning of the dedication, and I did not want to attend, but the Lord gave me the strength to speak. In 2005, I bought new furniture, Victorian living room furniture, which was delivered just weeks before the storm. We lost all of it, along with most of our clothes, but I thank the Lord that we did not lose our lives. I’m not caught up in material things. Don’t get me wrong -- we need material things. But don’t get so caught up in them that if something should happen, you would lose your mind over it. I know the Lord didn’t give me this house only to take it away. He had something better for me; that’s the attitude I have.

For three months after the storm, we went back and forth from my oldest sister’s house in Kentucky to Biloxi, where we lived in a FEMA trailer and met with insurance adjusters. I had home-owner’s insurance, but my insurance adjuster said they would only pay for wind damage to the roof and nothing else. I didn’t see any way of repairing my house, being a single parent. I have a daughter, with me in this picture, and two sons. One was in the Marine Reserve and serving in Iraq for a second time when the storm hit.

Then Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia returned and saved my house. (Read the volunteers’ story here and learn how you can help them help others.) I thank the Lord for the love, the care, and the concern of the volunteers. Without the volunteers and Habitat for Humanity, I don’t know what I would have done. The Lord touched their hearts to help me restore my home, and not only mine, but many, many more homes. I just want to tell them thank you from the bottom of my heart. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless, strengthen, and smile upon you forever. I love you and appreciate each and every one for everything thing they have done to restore my home. God bless you.