Posted by Amanda Tietze on Sep 05, 2017
(email forwarded from Peter Apicella, M.D.)
 
"The Rotary Foundation and clubs along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, USA, are collecting emergency relief funds to help flood victims of Hurricane Harvey, which slammed into southeast Texas over the weekend.
 
Severe rainfall has caused historic flooding along the Texas coast, including in Houston, the fourth largest city by population in the United States. Deluged towns in the region are in desperate need of aid as thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes. About 6.8 million people have been affected by the hurricane, which made landfall on 25 August.
With an estimated damage of $190 billion, Hurricane Harvey could be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.
 
“The power of Rotary is in the foundation's ability to pull help from around the world while local clubs provide immediate relief in their own communities,” says Don Mebus of the Rotary Club of Arlington, Texas.
 
Rotary districts located along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana are collecting emergency relief funds and providing immediate aid to flood victims. 
“We know that a disaster of this magnitude will require our financial assistance for months into the future,” says District 5930 Governor Betty Ramirez-Lara. “Our disaster relief committee will provide support where we believe it can best be used.”
 
ShelterBox, an independent charity and Rotary’s project partner, is also providing support to families displaced by the storm. Hundreds of light privacy tents will be deployed to evacuation centers throughout Texas for families to use temporarily.
 
“Our normal tents and ShelterKits are not appropriate for the conditions families are experiencing in Texas,” says James Luxton, ShelterBox operations team leader. “The flooding is covering large swathes of land, and is set to rise even further in the coming days, making indoor shelter the best option.”
 
 
How to contribute to the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Donor Advised Fund
 
 
By check
Payable to: The Rotary Foundation DAF
Memo line: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund #608
Mail to: Rotary DAF, c/o NRS, 12 Gill Street, Suite 2600, Woburn, MA, 01801
 
By credit card
Account name: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund
Account number: 608
 
 
By wire transfer
To the account of: Boston Private Bank & Trust Company
ABA number: 011002343 
For credit to: The Rotary Foundation
Account number: 943423732 
For Further Credit: TRF DAF
Account name: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund #608
 
You must fax a copy of the wire authorization to +1-781-658-2497 to complete the transfer.
 
If you have questions about how you can help, contact relief@rotary.org."