You have seen the pictures and want desperately to help.  We want your help as do the wonderful folks in Texas.  However, Good intentions and big hearts often create disasters on top of the disaster.

WHAT NOT TO DO:

1. Do NOT self-deploy.  Must have an organization to work under (doesn’t have to be us!).  Make sure they need you. Otherwise you will take away necessary resources for those that do need it; or worse yet, get yourself in situation where need rescued.
2.  DO  NOT collect old clothes, household items and stuffed animals and jump in your truck to drive them down there.  This will do nothing but clog the roads, the landfills, and waste time and efforts.  We have seen bulldozers have to clear parking lots of dumped clothes.  
3. Do NOT collect mixed items of donations, even if good stuff.  For same reason as above. Too hard to organize.
4. Do NOT drive into Houston this weekend unless coordinated with an organization.  Roads need to be clear for emergency personnel, first responders, and residents.  Please please help in this way.  In another few weeks we will be ready and needing  your help.  Don’t just “drive down to see if can be of some help”. You won’t be.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Do partner and volunteer with existing organizations.  We at CitiIMPACT take teams of 4 or more.  Individuals are hard to coordinate unless long term or highly skilled in specific area of need. Teams are gridded to meaningful work assignmnets.
2. Do collect gift cards (home depot, lowes, walmart, target).  If going on a CitiIMPACT team you can take these with you when go.  Otherwise you can mail them to us to distribute.
3. Do GIVE to agencies like us who will multiply the $ you spend on 1 bag of diapers into 20 pallets of diapers and have a system in place to warehouse and distribute effectively.
4. Do Share this info with all friends and family.  Help Texas in ways they need help.  Show you care by keeping it all about the people being served and not those serving.
5. DO PRAY.