Now that relief efforts are in full swing, it’s becoming important to stay focused on specific needs. The idea of practicing “random acts of kindness” makes a great bumper sticker, but it doesn’t necessarily provide the most targeted help in a crisis.
What I’m hearing from various folks who have been helping with relief efforts is that they’re starting to get overloaded with some supplies at some points. Storage can become a problem. By all means, identify needs and do what you can; just make sure that you’re meeting today’s needs and not something that was requested and received a few days ago. Ask, don’t guess.
This works better if work teams are coordinated, so they’re tightening access to damaged areas. Work through organizations such as the Salvation Army, Red Cross or your church, and make sure any organization you work with is in touch with others so that the aid is distributed as efficiently as possible. Several organizations are listed below.
Christian Service Mission, 3600 3rd Ave. South takes volunteers daily. Call 252-9906. 8:30 am to 8:30 PM.
Oak Mt. Mission takes volunteers most mornings, and needs drivers. Call 685-5757. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 1 PM.
Red Cross (now located between Home Depot & Styx Restaurant) by the Galleria on Hwy 150. It is in the old “Comp USA” building. Enter like you are going to Home Depot but turn right & enter the parking on the right. You will see Red Cross trucks.
Alabaster 1st Methodist “warehouse” behind the sanctuary. Main number: 663-0509. They are open daily and can use folks as “receptionists, and people on the phone”.
Methodist Headquarters on B’ham Southern Campus needs volunteers to answer phones. Call 226-7975 to help answer the phones.
Clothing: Take to The Foundry, or to The Foundry trailer currently at Hunter Street Church.
OK, let’s try this one more time. I don’t know if it’s because we have a flood of Facebook newbies or what, but the spread of malware through Facebook applications seems to be at epidemic proportions.
The apps are getting better and more intrusive. They’re now able to not only post to users’ walls, but also send IMs and Facebook mail. If you fall for one of these, you’ll suffer a major embarrassment, because it will likely send stupid links to your friends, family, clients etc. And they’ll all know you played the sucker.
So my suggestion is this: Don’t TOUCH anything that has any of these characteristics:
As mentioned elsewhere, my rule is this: If it makes you feel remotely sneaky, dirty, or voyeuristic, leave it alone. If it asks you to “approve” a link, don’t. If it says “play the video,” run. Just close the whole browser window and don’t click anything on your screen.
I’ve noticed that some users tend to fall for these attacks over and over, and they always say “I got hacked.” No, you didn’t get hacked; you got stupid.
My friend Van Phillips is taking a trailer load of relief supplies to Pleasant Grove today, and he plans to take a second load tomorrow. Here are somethings they say they need. I’m not sure where the drop-off point is for this, but you can call Riverchase United Methodist Church and they should be able to tell you. The number is below.
Items needed:
Riverchase United Methodist Church
1953 Old Hwy 31, Birmingham, Alabama 35244, United States
Phone: 205 987-4030
Please fax or print & take to any and all vet clinic in all affected Alabama areas. Without you, some animals may never find their owners…their pet may be the only thing they have left. —————————————————————————————– Attention AL Vet Clinics, Individuals, Rescues: This message is for each and every person, organization or business who has found and is fostering a pet displaced by the tornadoes. It is imperative that everyone document the animal in your care and provide accurate contact information so that owners may be reunited effectively. Please take the following steps to ensure this: ALL counties affected please email: tornadopetsofal@yahoo.com Tuscaloosa and Jefferson County only: call the hotline (do not leave voicemail) 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 205-397-8534 And most importantly, because the active social media community here is reuniting pets very effectively, please visit and share: We want to help YOU! Let us know what your immediate needs are. We have food and supplies standing by to transport to you. Members of ALTornadoAnimals Posted in Uncategorized The most IMPORTANT message you will read today: If you or someone you know fosters after finding an animal: email us tornadopetsofal@yahoo.com call the Jefferson/Tuscaloosa hotline 205-397-8534 Without these CRUCIAL steps for information, they may never be reunited! please share!Here’s some more info on displaced pets. The source is below. I’m just reproducing it here to help spread the word.
How you can help
May 3, 2011 1 Comment
URGENT message to Foster families
May 2, 2011 Leave a comment
I don’t know this group, but I’m passing along for consideration. As with everything else, I encourage you to investigate before donating. - Carl
A group of local rescuers in Alabama have set up a Facebook page called Animals Lost & Found from the Tornadoes in Alabama on 4/27/11
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Animals-Lost-Found-from-the-Tornadoes-in-Alabama-on-42711/206345326063409
Have a Heart Animal Rescue and Adoption a local non-profit is willing to help us y accepting donations thru their rescue to help the injured animals vet expenses, boarding and food. ALL DONATIONS are tax deductible. ALL donations will go to the animals of the tornados.
If interested in volunteering please email tornadopetsofal@yahoo.com
(Source: haveaheart.chipin.com)
When you’re putting time, money and work into helping the people of Alabama recover from the devastating tornadoes, it’s a real kick in the teeth (among other things) to get a bill from the State of Alabama charging me a $50 late fee because my software undercalculated my 4Q state income tax by 68 cents.
Here's a current "need list" from Riverchase UMC based on the relief areas they are serving. Current needs: Eye Drops Chapstick Nail files and Clippers Pull Ups - Toddlers Power Strips Roofing Nails Gatorade Canned Soft Drinks Household Cleaning Supplies Laundry Detergent Large containers of Season Salt Bacon Sausage Large containers of grits Large containers of oatmeal These items may be dropped off in the lower kitchen in the Sanctuary building.
Had to pick up some paint at Home Depot and stuck my head in the Red Cross’s state command center, which is set up in the old CompUSA outbuilding at the Galleria, Highway 150 side. The place is an organized hive with hundreds of visiting staff from all over the US, as they work to identify and get resources to areas of greatest need.
Since there have been a lot of people expressing a willingness to volunteer, I confirmed that they need volunteers there (or at least you can sign up there). They have a table for that purpose just inside the entrance, and trust me, they’ll make you feel welcome.
Keep in mind that these folks get hungry and thirsty and don’t have a lot of time and money for eating out, so various restaurants are helping provide some 300 meals a day. I noticed the only snacks available were all junk food — cookies etc. I’m sure they’d welcome a few boxes of apples and healthier options.