Hurricane Harvey has devastated tens of thousands in the Southeast region of Texas, leaving many evacuees homeless. The Seaweed Bath Co. is located just 2.5 hours from where the bulk of the devastation hit. It has been hard to watch our fellow Texans go through such a traumatic event. The news has been showing heartbreaking images on a loop of families fleeing their homes to now cleaning up what is left. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is already reporting that more than 325,000 have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and registered for FEMA assistance.  Aid groups are working around the clock to help traumatized evacuees by offering food and temporary shelter.

Today, The Seaweed Bath Co. team created welcome kits for evacuees headed to our hometown of Austin. Please join us in our efforts to aid the victims of this tragedy. It’s going to be a long road to recovery, here are a few things you can do now to help those in need:

Donate Money:
Americares is an organization that distributes water, aid, medical supplies, and medical outreach. Americares is responding to those affected by Harvey and need more supplies to keep up with the demand.

Family to Family is raising money to bring much needed supplies like toiletries, box fans, clothing, cleanup supplies, blankets, inflatable mattresses, and more to families affected by Harvey.

The foodbanks in the region are in desperate need of donations to keep evacuees fed. Donate to the Galveston, Corpus Christi, Houston, or Southeast Food Banks. Can’t give money? Consider donating your time. You can also sign up to volunteer at the respective food banks via their website.

Save the Children organization is creating kid-friendly spaces with cribs and beds in shelters to create a sense of normalcy for the littlest survivors.

Some schools will remain closed due to extensive damage. Many children will be relocated to another school and conditions are expected to be crowded. Help teachers rebuild their classrooms and prepare for the influx of children by donating to Donors Choose Harvey Relief Fund.

Amazon and Whole Foods will match up to $1,000,000 in funding to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Harvey relief. To donate, copy and paste amazon.com/HarveyRelief into your browser, log into your Amazon account, and click the Amazon Pay button.  

Michael and Susan Dell created Rebuild Texas Fund with a fundraising goal of $100 million. The Dells kicked off the fund by donating $18 million. The Dell Foundation donated $1 for every $2 donated by the public. You can still donate today by visiting their website here.

Donate Supplies:

Displaced families with babies are in need of diapers. The Texas Diaper Bank is collecting and distributing diapers to those affected by the hurricane. In addition, they are taking donations of baby wipes, pull-ups, and  gently-used, clean clothing, bottles, and blankets. For a full list of what they need, visit their FAQ about Hurricane Harvey Relief.

The American Red Cross has set up an Amazon Wish List for supplies and food needed.

Help with Cleanup:

The Coastal Bend Recovery Group is in need of construction clean-up supplies. Send supplies or donations to purchase supplies so this organization can continue assisting with cleanup efforts.

If you live in Austin, you can sign up to volunteer and help with cleanup by visiting Hope Family Thrift Store.

Sources:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/health/iyw-harvey-how-to-help/index.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/harvey-guide-donations-49584715