I had intended to write today’s post about how to pick the right budgeting method for your family. But when I sat down to write, all I could think of was Hurricane Harvey and its devastating effects on Texas. Talking about how much to budget for groceries just didn’t seem right, and my heart wasn’t in it.
But when my kids and I started talking about what was happening and how we could help, I realized that this was about budgeting after all, albeit peripherally. Most of us have, or try to have, an emergency fund for unforeseeable events in our own lives. But do we have one set up for others?
What do you do when your heart is calling you to give, but your bank account is showing close to zero?
As anyone who receives my newsletter knows (If you’ve been missing out on that weekly gem 😉 click here to sign up and remedy the situation), my husband has been hurt and out of work for most of the summer. While I’ve been freelancing in an attempt to pick up the slack, our budget is tight (like me-in-a-pair-of-pre-pregnancy-skinny-jeans tight). So finding extra money for anything except our bare essentials is not an easy task.
But when our hearts reach out to those in need, I consider it a call from God. It’s also an opportunity to train up my children in the right ways to respond to the needs of those around us. And, as someone who has accepted help during hard times, I can do nothing less that return the favor, as little or as much as I can.
It may be as simple as skimping a little at the grocery store this week. Having a no-spend date night instead of seeing a movie. Waiting another week or two to replace the curtains you’ve been saving for. Skipping Starbucks for a few days. Tightening our belts, even temporarily, can make a difference.
How, Where, and What to Give
First, I want to say that it does not matter how much you give, everything counts. If every adult in America offered a dollar to help those in the Houston area, there would be over $200 million available (estimates based off of census data).
Second, money is not the only thing needed. If you’re like me, you’re too far from the affected area to do anything in person. But there are needs that can be met from a distance. My children’s school has been contacted to send new or gently used clothing and school uniforms for the children who have lost theirs. They need school supplies. Babies need diapers.
Check with your school, church, or local TV and radio stations that are looking for supplies and donations. There are a lot of organizations that are looking to help, but be careful. Unfortunately, there are many that are not legit and might be capitalizing on this crisis. Stick to well-known and trustworthy charitable organizations, or ones you know personally and can vouch for.
Below is a short list of possibilities, which I can’t take credit for. These come from a post on Melanie Shankle’s blog. She lives in Texas and has offered some amazing resources to help us give.
- Samaritan’s Purse is accepting donations.
- Through AirBnB, you can offer free housing to those in need.
- The Houston Flood Relief Fund, started by Houston Texans’ JJ Watt, is taking donations.
- The Red Cross is accepting donations here. You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
- Diapers and monetary donations are being accepted at the Texas Diaper Bank, for both babies and adults.
- Convoy of Hope is taking donations.
A couple of other options:
- Salvation Army is taking donations here, and you can text STORM to 51555 to make a donation.
- Matthew 25:Ministries is providing supplies and accepting donations here.
For more, check out this article.
Watching the coverage of rescues, and hearing the stories of those who have stepped up to provide help and support wherever needed brings me to tears. Our country isn’t perfect, but watching people come together and offer of themselves to complete strangers makes me proud to call it home.
God bless you, and let’s keep the people of Texas and those affected by Hurricane Harvey in our prayers.
If you have any suggestions for charitable organizations that I missed, please feel free to include them in the comments.
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