|
Ways to give of yourself:
From
the American Liberty Partnership
- Sign up to donate blood. Hospitals have enough supplies to meet
their current demand, but they will need even more over coming
weeks and months. To help insure a continuous supply for all patients,
call to schedule an appointment.
- Become a tissue donor. Hundreds of burn victims from New York
and Washington highlight how important it is for every American
to fill out a tissue or organ donor card. By simply signing a
pledge card, a person can help or save as many as 50 other lives
if the worst should occur.
- Print out and sign a tissue
donation form at the Red Cross web site.
- Take a First
Aid or CPR course to prepare yourself to respond in an emergency.
- Volunteer at a local
food bank or food prep organization to help prepare meals
for those who may have been affected.
- Volunteer at your house
of worship to support individuals affected by this tragedy.
- Seek out or provide counseling
support to those in trauma that have been personally affected
by the tragedy.
- E-mail your
Representative to let them know how you think the U.S. should
react to the terrorist attacks.
In addition, as the government and the world focus on this tragic
event, it's even more important that we pull together as a nation
and help every American in need. In this time of national grief
and tragedy, we must ensure that none of our citizens goes hungry,
or homeless, or uneducated, or without support or treatment.
If you already volunteer or contribute to a charitable organization,
please redouble your efforts in doing so. If you haven't found a
non-profit organization you'd like to help yet, here are a few suggestions:
- Deliver
meals to homebound seniors or individuals with disabilities.
These services are imperative even in times of national crisis.
- Teach literacy to adults
or children
who need help learning to read. Our country can only move forward
if all of its people have this basic fundamental skill.
- Help in the fight against homelessness. Work with a local soup
kitchen or help Habitat
for Humanity build homes for those in need.
- Visit a nursing home or homebound elder to comfort and converse
with seniors.
- Start a clothing drive at work or among friends to provide warm
coats and other essentials for the upcoming winter.
- Offer volunteer
support to local fire, police and health departments. These
units may be needed in other cities and volunteers can be trained
to assist with specific roles in their absence.
- Seek out a local government task force or committee that deals
with crisis response to create a city-wide plan in the event of
an emergency of this magnitude.
- Review other volunteer opportunities with organizations like
the American
Red Cross, the Points
of Light Foundation, the Corporation
for National Service, America's
Promise or your local United
Way.
|