The People's Hurricane Relief Fund

Ages ago, I blogged about making donations to local, flexible, "bottom-up" rather than "top-down" organizations for hurricane relief efforts. I think I may have found one. Obviously, use your best judgement before sending your hard-earned money. I spoke to them on the phone and read the website and my preliminary feelings are very good.

Here's the deal: The People's Hurricane Relief Fund has the following goals:

• to manage a hurricane relief fund and to demand transparency from FEMA and other major relief agencies raising funds and resources in the people's name;
• to help coordinate and support grassroots relief and organizing efforts and to act as a clearinghouse for information and volunteers:
• to create and maintain a space for networking and strategizing between organizers and volunteers:
• to facilitate the return/rebuilding process and to ensure local, grassroots leadership at every phase.

There is a lot more information available at their website; it's well worth reading, even if you can't donate right now. Say, hypothetically, you're a student of social work and are interested in community organizing -you might find this site worthwhile.