Help For Hurricane Harvey…
(Picture courtesy of USA Today Network)
As most of you know, Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Texas late Friday. The hurricane has left hundreds of thousands without power and caused great destruction. It has been said that this was one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the U.S. in a decade and, it’s not over as massive flooding and winds are still expected.
We know many Hip2Save readers, as well as a couple of my sidekicks and their families are being directly or indirectly affected by this hurricane. In fact, my sidekick, Jennifer’s brother and his family are huddling in a bathroom in Houston, as they are getting lots of rain and continue to receive tornado warnings.
What’s being done to help?
Starting today, Sam’s Club is temporarily waiving their membership requirements for communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The Texas stores are stocking their shelves with water, batteries and basic groceries. Head over here to see the list of participating stores.
Salvation Army of housing residents in Houston
Make a donation to Salvation Army by visiting this page or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Salvation Army disaster teams from across the country are mobilizing and, even after disaster response efforts are over, The Salvation Army will remain in communities impacted by this terrible storm, supporting long-term disaster recovery efforts and providing ongoing assistance to those in need. You can read updates on their Facebook page here.
Donate blood. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations to support the blood needs of those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Click here to make an appt.
Make a donation to the Humane Society of the United States to help animals and families who evacuated their homes in the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s destruction.
Make a donation to a local animal shelter via PetFinder.com.
Make a donation to Samaritan’s Purse by visiting this page. Disaster Relief teams will fan out across areas devastated by Hurricane Harvey and bring relief to homeowners – specifically, volunteers will perform mud-outs, tearing out waterlogged walls and flooring and taking damaged belongings to the curb.
PayPal has launched a disaster relief campaign through the Giving Fund. PayPal will waive all processing costs ensuring that 100% of your donation will go directly to relief efforts. Through the PayPal Gives program, PayPal will also match donations made by a PayPal employee, according to terms of the program. Go here for more information.
We’re praying for all those in the TX area. Be safe over the next several days.
Just want to say thank you for posting this. I live in Floresville TX which is 30 miles away from San Antonio TX. Since yesterday afternoon winds have been extremely strong and rain hasn’t stopped either.
Flooding is likely since all the rivers intertwine, and lots of other small town are being evacuated. Today I saw the pictures of the destruction in Corpus and Rock Port! It is heart breaking and extremely saddening! If you can help in any way people will greatly appreciated. But most of all pray for all Texans to have strength to get through this.
All be safe and god bless
You’re welcome!
Thanks for all the helpful info in this post. We are in Katy (west of Houston), and are experiencing heavy rainfall and tornado warnings now. Thankful for our home and all our supplies, and grateful for these great organizations.
I’m in Katy too, the streets around me are starting to flood 😔 be safe!!
Ours are too… we are in Old Katy. Hope you guys are safe.
I’m in Katy as well. It seems like it’s gonna rain a lot tonight. Stay safe everyone. ❤️
You’re welcome!
Thanks for this post! I’m in Houston and it seems that we are getting hit now and into tonight.. Everyone stay safe!
You’re so welcome!
Ashley, Me too, down town by Ch. 11 who now is off the air and flooded . Be safe gal.
Many thoughts and prayers are being sent to all of you in Texas!
Thank you for posting . We are in Houston and the rain is starting up again . Praying it doesn’t flood.
You’re welcome Cindy!
I made donation to Samaritan’s Purse. I wander if someone knows an address of small organization to which I can send children toys and clothes.
Thank you so much for posting this! We are in Houston and this is such a helpful source! I will spread the word! Thanks hip2save fam for all the love and support towards our great state! Much appreciated
You’re most welcome Beth!
We’re in Cypress and are grateful for this post. Love H2S!
Thank you from Houston ❤️🙏🏽
I’m in Cypress,TX too. I love this site. Thank you Collin for thinking of us.
This is the weirdest storm ever.
I didn’t think it would become a hurricane.
Heavy thunder & rain going on in Houston metro right now.
So thankful that Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens, HEB, and others shipped in truckloads of water & food. Each storm, the prepping has gotten better.
the water is holding steady at edge of my porch this morning. many flooded around me and its worse than Alison was in lots of Houston.
electricity off. and toilets wont flush. probably small water company pump not working. wish i could see tv news.
There will probably be a tellathon to donate to later for this event.
Yeah! The water level went down for me from front porch to behind car by this morning, north side of Houston. My husband tried to go around N Belt to work (Quest Diagnostics, picks up medical samples,a big deal) but Memorial & belt wad flooded. My oldest son’s family in Rosenberg, mandatory evacuation north side of 69, but house prob wont flood cause their subdivision has a levee all the around it…and it worked last time. but Brazos river record levels expected. My daughter is in 3rd floor apt in Katy and okay. My youngest sons family, Rosenberg, south of 69 is okay with power.
Im so grateful for the ABC13 news app & Twitter, etc. keeping us informed by all the agencies.
By the way, this at least the 5th time my CVS has flooded😢 I lost count.
Thanks for this post! I live in Brazoria county a in a small town. We got hit pretty bad with the rain and wind. There’s been quite a bit of flooding in town as well. What’s worse is I’m in my last month of pregnancy so it’s definitely scary if I go into labor and need to get to get to the hospital.
Hello I live in W. Pearland near Fresno but I work in Sienna Plantation. So Hello fellow Brazoria Co. neighbor. We helped deliver cases & cases of water to those Sienna families today. This has been a wild storm & it’s over yet. My husband flew to Chicago for a funeral & can’t get back to be with us. My kids & I are settling in my downstairs closet most of the evening because I don’t know what to expect. People that I know in Sienna said it happened so fast last night they didn’t have time to react. I’m afraid to take any chances. Thank all of you Hipsters for the support. It is greatly appreciated.
I’m in pearland too. It’s really ugly at the moment. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Be safe everyone!!
I am from Pearland as well. Thank you everyone for the prayers.
You’re so welcome Janet! Stay safe!
From our family to all of you in Texas, you are in our thoughts and prayers, God Bless!
I’m in Austin and starting to get the heavy wind and rain after all day of light to moderate rain. Harvey has stalled south of San Antonio so historic flooding will occur with 30 plus inches of rain they are predicting.
Thanks from Austin area.
YW!
I am in Rosenberg(southwest of Houston)and this evening has been one tornado warning after another with heavy rain. The northern part of our city by the Brazos River has been told to evacuate. It isn’t over just because Harvey made landfall. The Rockport area is destroyed.
I am in southwest of Houston and the tornado warning went crazy tonight! Be safe everyone in TX!
Thanks for posting from another Houstonian. I am in Spring, just north of Houston and the rain is coming down hard. There has been an endless amount of tornado warnings. I am literally right down the road from Cypress Trails, who most in Houston know is notorious for not moving her horses in time. Cypress creek and a lot of other creeks are jumping banks. Houston and surrounding areas will need help after all is said and down by middle of next week.
You’re so welcome!
I’m sending prayers and blessings from NYC. I remember going through hurricane Sandy and how scary that was. I hope anyone going in the storm makes it out safely. And if you believe in a higher power, know that is what always pulls us through.
Thank you all ! From Katy,tx.
You have such a great heart Colin! Thoughts and prayers for Texas
Thanks for the sweet comment Mel!
Stay safe to those in Texas! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I’m in north Texas so the storm is not affecting me personally. However, my family and Myself’s thought & prayers are with all of you who have been or continue to be in harms way. I truly hope you stay safe and protected until the ongoing floods recede. I know there will literally be stresses and countless problems for months after this is over. And if any Hipsters are in the north Texas area and wish to volunteer in relief following this disaster please contact any of the groups mentioned, also many local churches and small community groups assist in the aftermath so reach out and hop on board if you can!
I do want to extend my appreciation & gratitude to Collins team for this post, & everyone who is assisting/donating/volunteering or praying in even the smallest of ways, I can promise you these big hearted Texans appreciate it all!!!
We’re in College Station and thinking of you all in Houston. Crazy amounts of rain here. Hearts go out to you all with the flooding and tornadoes, prayers too. Stay safe, and thanks Collins for posting this.
I’m in Victoria and last night was horrible. We’re safe thanks be to God! We have roofs leaking and the one in the garage caved in. We don’t know how long we’ll be out of power. There are many who had more damage than us.
Sending prayers to all of you who are in TX! Keep safe..
I’m in Texas but we live in El Paso it’s crazy how one side of Texas is being hammered with rain and wind and on the other side it’s sunny and beautiful other than some wind but if you have lived in the El Paso area you know wind here is normal we get strong winds all the time everyone is in my thoughts and prayers !!!!
You can also set up your Amazon smile account to church of Christ disaster response. This organization helps with natural disasters nationwide. As a volunteer in Baton Rouge last year I can say they do a very good job at outsourcing their resources. I’m sure my lake Charles family will be helping out in the Texas area very soon.
Sending my thoughts and prayers for everyone effected by this hurricane stay safe, and . God Bless You All .
I have family in Corpus Christi it has been a stressful couple of days. Thank you weather channel for all of the reports I have been glued to my tv. You can donate $10 to the Red Cross by texting harvey to 90999. I am sending good thoughts to all of you in Texas from Corpus to Houston and San Antonio who took in all of the coastal evacuees who came in on buses…
I have always give to the red cross during times like this, but I understand they only give 21 cents per dollar for disaster relief. Currently looking for other places to donate to.
They’ll be fine. Gotta pull yourself up by your boot straps like they tell everyone else!
I can’t tell if your comment is serious or not.
ROFL!!!!!
This is not the time or place for political nonsense. God bless the people of Texas!!!
Cat 4 hurricanes have existed long before republicans.
And they are only going to get worse – unless things change in our environment
My cousin his wife and infant daughter live in Houston. I think they are absolute idiots for not leaving town. Their attitude is i have been in a hurricane before. I live on the side of caution.
I was thinking the same thing about people who didn’t leave – screw the house – go and be safe
Agreed! Over 1000+ rescued in Houston area
I cannot even imagine how many people still need help. Sheriff and rescuers are currently overwhelmed with alerts for rescue. Cannot understand why people didn’t evacuate prior to this storm hitting with all the advance warnings. Thank goodness my friends got out of there. Praying for Texas
Perhaps you shouldn’t judge when you don’t know all the facts. An evacuation order was never issued for the Houston area.
Did they really NEED an evacuation order? Anyone that could see their tv could see this was a monster storm. They warned that the storm would stall and there would be flooding. Better safe than sorry. Not judging. I think about the rescue folks that are putting their lives on the line for those that didn’t leave!
I live in Houston and there was never an evacuation order. It’s just really bad flooding, so people should stay in their homes right now. The 1,000 that were rescued make up a very very small portion of Houstons population. They probably live in older areas that are flood zones.
We were specifically told NOT to evacuate in Houston the leave the roads clear for people in Rockport, Corpus Christi, and other nearby cities that were being directly hit.
The leaders of Houston advised residents to shelter in place because the hurricane was not hitting Houston. During hurricane Rita people did evacuate. Houston is a city of millions. It cause major traffic jams and people actually died trying to leave.
I’m in my mid-30’s, lived in Florida most of my life and never evacuated for a hurricane. You have to consider where you live (right on the coast? In a low lying flood-prone area?) and what type of structure (mobile home? Older house with lots of overhanging large trees?). Evacuating is not always the right answer and if everyone panics and evacuates there won’t be any place for those who really need to leave their homes. As long as they secured their house and yard and stocked up on necessities I don’t they’re “absolute idiots” at all.
If u can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all.
We are by hobby airport , my backyard it’s overflowing it has never been this bad , we have evacuated one time before, but, some of us can’t keep doing it , I have special needs adult with my knee surgery getting hard to load her up but , thank God we are OK, my brothers are by Jones Rd there OK, and my mom on Northside by Quitman she is OK too, we are praying for everyone we have prepared have groceries generator and our house is on high ground , years before it just never rained this much thank you and prayers 😍
Praying for you and your families safety Edy
I have friends in the area as well and thank goodness haven’t lost cell service at this time so people are able to let their loved ones know they are safe or request assistance if needed. God Bless Texas
The best place I know to give or volunteer is through NC Baptist men (you don’t have to be Baptist or a man, just the name). They are already gearing up to help in TX and generally they stay long after all other aid groups leave to really help rebuild communities (even years after the disaster). They are widely recognized and loved in areas they have been. They are also the most financially responsible group I know to give to (lots of organizations take a cut of the donations but 100% of what you give goes directly to disaster relief in the community).
https://baptistsonmission.org/Donate/Disaster-Relief
Thank you to all for the good wishes from Magnolia, 40 miles Northwest of Houston.
You’re welcome!
Thanks for posting this. My son lives in Corpus Christi but has evacuated to another Coast Guard Station & is safe and sound. He won’t be able to go back until sometime next week. He has no clue about his cars and belongings but best that he and all of his co-workers are safe so that when they do get back, they will be able to help those who need it. Sending good thoughts to all those in the path of Harvey…
My sincere heart goes out to everyone in Texas. I do know the motto ‘don’t mess with Texas’ so if any area can band together and be strong, i think its Texas!! Be safe 🤗
I live in southeast Texas and to all the idiots slamming people who didn’t evacuate in all of these areas, it’s impossible for everyone to just pick up and leave, it would be standstill on the hwys. It just doesn’t make sense. If you don’t know what you are talking about maybe you should just keep your mouths shut. Houston is an especially hard place to evacuate and with all of the surrounding areas it’s nearly impossible with just a few days notice. Not to mention that not everyone has the resources to leave or even a place to go. It’s pretty sad how heartless people can be. I never usually argue on the Internet with people like this but this kind of ignorance really burns me up!
I agree Christine. Houston is the 4th largest city in the US plus all the burbs. It’s always easy to judge when u watch the news for a short time. Some ppl also work in industries that assist in time of disaster so we/they can’t leave. I’m from Corpus & I have been thru many of these as a kid & remember my family packing up to go. It sounds so easy when you aren’t affected. Thxs to all the hipsters for their thoughts & prayers. Everyone in this area I hope that all are safe!
Thank you! It was a mess when everyone was told to evacuate for Hurricane Rita. Although it’s mass flooding, it could have been a lot worse if we were stuck throughout the city with rapidly rising water. The reports and forecasts for this storm were all over the place and continue to be. Things are constantly changing which affects the forecast. All we can do is shelter in place and hope for the best.
I have been watching the news and I feel guilty being in my nice dry house. I have always given to the red cross at times like this, but I found out that they only give 21 cents on the dollar for relief and the rest goes to the company. Does anyone know how much catholic charities gives per dollar? I want to help.
Thank you for posting this Collin! A lot of people are affected throughout Texas. I’m here in northwest Houston trying to stay dry. Stay safe to all my fellow Southeast Texas couponers!!
Thank you for posting, Collin. I live in Katy, but am staying with family in Houston and have been in numerous tornado warnings for two days. Katy is getting hit especially hard with “feeder bands” from remnants of Harvey. Harvey is hours away from us, and Harvey has zero pressure at its center, so its not causing our current flooding. The feeder bands keep cropping up from the Gulf of Mexico … that is what’s causing the flooding. Everyone, please don’t judge us. This is an unprecedented flood. The Brazos River is currently in an 800 year flood (yes, 800!). We live near the Gulf, so we are very familiar and very watchful of hurricanes. Feeder bands dumping rain for 4-5 consecutive days is unprecedented. You can’t plan for this. You shelter in place as needed. Please don’t judge something you know nothing about.
I’m not sure where the Red Cross 21 cents for relief information is coming from. According to Charity Navigator, they give 90% of their funds for services/program – https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277.
Obviously people should donate to whatever group they wish to but just FYI in case you’re thinking of donating to the Red Cross.
Thinking good thoughts and sending prayers to those in Texas being impacted by the flood. Thank you for posting this so we can help those who need it.
Thank you so much for the Hurricane Harvey posts. Some people in these areas (like myself) did not even know about the hurricane until Wednesday or even Thursday. No one thought it would get this bad. I am unable to go home, but I am safe at work. We have a generator going. All the thoughts, prayers and of course donations are so helpful and so appreciated. It is just amazing to see so many people coming together to help both locally and nationally.