Help Midwest Flood Victims

If you don't live in the American midwest, or in another area where rising waters have destroyed all you own, it may be hard to imagine leaving behind your home, the things you love, and maybe even the animal companions who depend on you in a sudden evacuation. Finding yourself waist-high in a toxic soup, trying to get yourself and your loved ones to safety. Bunking down in a temporary shelter with little more than the clothes on your back, not knowing what comes next. These are the hardships our fellow citizens are enduring in Iowa and surrounding states right now, and here are a few things you can do to help:

If you live in the area...

Grab some friends and volunteer to sandbag or help clean up once the waters recede. Find out where and how to pitch in at any of these three sites:
WGEM Quincy, Illinois
KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2008flood.org

Can you take in someone’s animal companion temporarily, as a foster caretaker, while they are in a shelter that doesn’t accommodate dogs and cats? If not, local shelters are accepting donations of goods as well; read about the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center’s needs here.


Whether you live near or far...
Ask your local coffeehouse or bookstore to host an evening of readings and/or music around the theme of rising waters and pass a hat for donations to be sent to one of these relief organizations:
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
Mennonite Disaster Services

If you have a Web site or blog, download a Red Cross donation button and post it on your site.

Inform yourself, then tell a friend. Check out these up-to-the-minute reports, where you'll find photos, video and more:
Topix Midwest Floods report
Humane Society of the United States blog
American Red Cross blog

Remember, no effort is too small. You can make a difference in another's struggle and turn rising waters into a river of hope.