ASSISTING VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

Fort Lauderdale, FL, August 27, 2005 -- Hurricane Winds from Katrina blew a huge tree on this 41' U.S. Coast Guard Boat completely covering it. MARVIN NAUMAN/FEMA photo

Dear Friend,

With all of the media coverage of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, we as New Yorkers know all too well how important it is to pull together during such a tragedy. My constituents in the 43rd Senate District are among the most generous when it comes to donating time and money to help their fellow Americans in crisis. It is important to donate to legitimate organizations, however, to ensure that victims receive donations as quickly as possible.

According to the federal government, cash donations are the most helpful to victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states. Monetary donations allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require.

Volunteer agencies also provide a wide variety of services after disasters, such as clean up, childcare, housing repair, crisis counseling, sheltering and food. Below is a list of phone numbers set up solely for cash donations, if you�d like to contribute to disaster relief efforts for our fellow Americans in the Gulf Coast States.

American Red Cross
1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English,
1-800-257-7575 Spanish;

Operation Blessing
1-800-436-6348

America�s Second Harvest
1-800-344-8070

I hope you find this information useful. If you would like additional information on how you can help, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency�s (FEMA) web site.

Sincerely,
Joseph L. Bruno
State Senator

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