Helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina
On August 28, 2005, a huge storm called Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The storm was one of the deadliest and most damaging hurricanes in our nation’s history. More than 1,800 people died, and thousands more lost their homes. Hurricane Katrina caused billions of dollars in damage, and many people had nowhere to go and nothing to eat. Even many pets were homeless after the storm!
Even though the storm was so devastating, people from all over the country and the world got together to help those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Volunteers brought donations of food, water, medicine and other items to help the people who had lost everything. It was an amazing show of support from people who had never even met the victims.
Today, almost three years later, there is still a lot of rebuilding to do. Many parts of New Orleans and other areas are still damaged, and many people are still struggling to get back to normal.
What can you do to help?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created some guidelines for helping those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. They say that donations of money are the most helpful, since money will help pay for people to have the food and shelter they need. You could donate some of your allowance, or you could have a fundraiser (such as a bake sale or car wash) to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims. You can send your donations to the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, The Humane Society, America’s Second Harvest and many other national charities. Ask your parents for help in selecting a charity if you have trouble choosing one.
If you want to do something different, check with local branches of relief organizations in your area and see whether they will take donations of canned goods, personal items, baby items, and other things that people need. If one of your local agencies will take donations and send them to the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina, you can have a canned food drive, a baby item drive or some other event to collect supplies to send to the victims of the hurricane.
You can also help to remind others about Hurricane Katrina! The hurricane happened almost three years ago, and many people have forgotten that there is still a lot of work to do to fix the damage that was caused. You could talk to your friends and family, write a letter to the editor of your newspaper, or ask your local church or charity to continue to send relief to the affected areas. Don’t let people forget how important it is to help those who need it!
Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy that hurt a lot of people, but with your help, the people who suffered can rebuild their lives. Do some good by making a difference in the life of a person (or animal) who was affected by Hurricane Katrina. You might be surprised at what you are able to do for someone in need!
References for this article: Time for Kids; Scholastic News Online; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Photographs used in this article are the works of the Federal Government and are in the public domain.
