Looking for a contact at the Houston Red Cross.

[intheflow]

Hi Everyone.

I'm driving down to Houston to volunteer at the Astrodome, but I've heard that they're getting so many volunteers that they're turning people away. However, I am a Red Cross trained disaster relief volunteer, and I'm sure they could use me to relieve other volunteers for a few days.

I'm looking for a phone number that gets me beyond the operator line at the Houston Red Cross. My local Red Cross here in Denver can't give me a phone number other than the main line. The problem is that the main line is swamped--the operators must be overwhelmed and all I get is recordings and various voice mails.

So does anyone have a friend or inside contact in the Red Cross? If you do, please either respond to this thread or pm me.

Thanks! :hi:

[babylonsister]

1. I have no personal contacts, but perhaps you

can wade through this info and find something new. Also, TV station websites have a lot of info. That would be www.click2houston.com, khou.com, and abc13.com, I think.

Here's some Katrina relief agencies in Houston
http://www.katrina-houston.com /

This is a good list to start with, if you wish to do something to help. I can't vouch for the legitamacy of them all, but you have the contact info for them and can check them out.

I originally found this here:

http://houston.craigslist.org/vol/95165414.html

where there is a lot of info on the Houston Craigslist site (http://houston.craigslist.org /)

Edit to add: if there's something I can do from Houston, let me know.

[ZenKitty]

2. Please come!!

I am not with the Red Cross but have been volunteering at the dome over the past few days. After the holiday weekend our volunteer numbers have dropped off a bit. We need every able body available! Here is a link to local contact info: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/082905_local_donations.html#volunteers

[intheflow]

3. Thanks, Zenkitty.

Through a pm from another DUer, I was able to get in touch with the Houston Red Cross. So I'll be down by Saturday.

I can only stay about 5 days because survivors are starting to arrive here in Denver and since I know the social service network here so well (I'm a minister), I feel I can help the survivors more efficiently here.

But I am definitely going to relieve a RC Astrodome worker--you all have been taking the brunt of this relief effort, and I'm sure the relief workers are experiencing secondary trauma at this point. So dont' forgte to take care of yourself while you're taking care of others, Zenkitty! :hug:

[gkhouston]

4. if you get rebuffed at the Dome, try the Convention Center

they also need volunteers.