Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter. -Bono
It’s dark in Texas right now. We are physically covered in a cloud of smoke, and more significantly, we are looking at a stretch of emotionally dark days. Days filled with too much worry and not enough rain.
And Texas isn’t alone. You need only to click over to CNN.com or turn on any news network to see coverage of flooding, tornadoes. And fires. Alongside these stories are other stories remembering the darkness that blanketed all of us ten years ago. We’re familiar with disaster, aren’t we? Each one bringing its own unique darkness, but something else, too.
Amid the ugly, the destruction, the loss, the snarky politically and religiously fueled comments on news stories, there is something else, something bigger than all of that: we are not content to dwell in the ugly. We are so much more than that.
Right now there are thousands of Texans with no homes, no belongings. And very likely, no energy to rise above the ugly just yet. That’s where the rest of us step in. We fill the gap for those who have lost so much.
Austin-area bloggers are working to fill the gap this week. Unfortunately, we still don’t know how far this will go. We have no idea the final reach of the fires. One week from now, one month from now, one year from now the gap will look differently than it does today. What we have today is a place to start.
If you want to get involved by donating your time, goods, or dollars, Austin-area bloggers are putting together lists of relief organizations that need your help. There’s something for every schedule and every budget. So take a look at the ideas here, and then visit some of the other blogs for more options (linked at the bottom of this post).
Texas is burning. Most of us can’t do a thing to stop the raging fires, and none of us have the power to make it rain. But we all have the power to help someone else.
As mentioned, this is a partial list. There are countless organizations providing relief, and I’m only listing a handful here. If you know of something that’s not listed, please add it in the comments (or if you’re a blogger, write a post and link up, below).
- Many of the bloggers who are participating in this link-up will also be out to support the LiveMom.com Austin Family Brunch on Sunday, September 11. This brunch will now be a benefit & donation drive for our Central Texas neighbors who have lost their homes. I’ll be there, and invite you to come out & join us!
- American Red Cross of Central Texas is accepting donations and volunteers. This site also links to additional wildfire resources.
- Catholic Charities of Central Texas is taking donations on Tuesday, September 6. Visit the site for details.
- Hill Country Bible Church is accepting donations all week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit the website for more details. HCBC also needs volunteers to help with donation intake/distribution. If you are interested in volunteering at a shelter, this site has information about that, as well.
- Call the Hays County Volunteer Coordinator if you’d like to make donations or volunteer your time: 512.393.7302
- All of the local news outlets have links to ways to help. Some of those outlets: FOX, News Radio KLBJ, KEYE, KVUE, KXAN, Your News Now.
- The readers of Free Fun in Austin are providing information on the Facebook page.
- Chili’s Round Rock is donating a percentage of sales all day on September 6.
For general information about the fires, I suggest taking a look at some – or all – of the following:
- A map of active fires, here. (This page is busy, not surprisingly. You may have to refresh a few times.)
Facebook pages that are providing regular updates:
- Texas Storm Chasers
- Central Texas Fires 2011
- Williamson County Office of Emergency Management
- Lost and Found Pets
If you’re on Twitter, look for these hash tags: #centraltxfire and #centraltxfires, #TXBlogFireRelief.
Now it’s your turn! Link your own post below, or leave a comment with relief information. And thank you. Thank you for joining Texas Blog Fire Relief, and shedding some light here in Texas.
Lapsed homemaker. Looking to hire a full-time housekeeper who will work for the sheer joy of a job well done and free coffee. Interested parties, DM please. 
Super post Missy! Thank you so much for leading the charge on this very important topic. You are my Hero!!
So glad you are doing this! I am originally from Texas (haven’t lived there for four years now) but my entire family is still there. Plus, I’ll always be a Texan and I am really worried about the fires. My family lives near Houston but I know a fire could easily happen there too. I haven’t seen it this dry in a very LONG time there. 🙁
I’ve never been to Texas, but I love lots of Texas things. I linked up. I hope that the fires can be contained before too much more damage is done.
A note from Karen at VolunteerSpot (http://www.volunteerspot.com/): there are free tools for organizing volunteers and donation drives available on VolunteerSpot. Please go check it out if you’re mobilizing groups of people to help!
thank you for coordinating this effort. i am far, far away from my fellow texans at the moment, but i can help by donating and by using my blog to spread the word about the need for donations and volunteers.
I linked up at What Happens In Hutto about what we can do to help out here – thank you for putting this together!
http://whathappensinhutto.com/how-we-can-help-right-here-in-hutto/
Missy, you are wonderful to do this.
I will tweet and RT.
Thanks for putting this great post together. I’m so RT this!
The power of the blog amazes me. Just look at what you are doing.
I’m so glad you guys are doing this – great idea! I wish I could do more to help, but I’ll tweet this out, at the very least…
It’s amazing the things that have been going on as of late. I posted some of your resources on my blog.. quite a weekend.
Here are some Steiner resources:
Steiner Ranch Fire Support- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steiner-Ranch-Fire-Support-Page/281993028483820
Steiner Ranch Fire Affected Families-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steiner-Ranch-Fire-Affected-Familes/162783313803754
Four Points News- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Four-Points-News/111810662214430
Missy- I loved your post about feeling so helpless….I feel exactly the same way, and my heart is just aching for all of the people affected by these fires. Hopefully our efforts will help those who need us right now (even though I can’t get the fire button right on my page!). Thanks for putting this together.
I’m so sorry for all your state is going through – I hope that Texas receives all the help it needs.
My BFF had to evacuate (Steiner), but luckily has a home to which she can return tonight! Devastating for so many.
Good for you and all the others for organizing this! My parents are in Austin and I get updates from them every morning. Where is the rain from a hurricane when you need it???
As a displaced Texan living in New Jersey (who had you know, all those hurricanes and earthquakes and whatnot – including a tree falling that totaled my car and retaining wall) I’m more devastated about what’s happening in Texas. My brother in law is a firefighter in San Antonio. Every stupid arsonist or careless cigarette butt puts his life in danger and thousands lose everything they own.
I want to do something to help, but most everything other than Red Cross is local. We’ll definitely be donating, but I’d like to hold an auction for cookies or something on my blog and add your link up to it.
Do you think it’s best to then donate proceeds to Red Cross?
Amber
Just wanted to drop a note saying I am thinking of all of you!
Hey everyone! I’m not from the Austin area (Houston represent!) and we have/had a fire about 45 minutes up the road from me, so I am also planning a post for this effort! When I get it up and running I am going have a donation drive in conjunction with a few other bloggers. If it’s cool, I’m planning on giving your link, BWB’s link, etc.
Thank you!
The Austin Bar Association will be providing a free legal clinic to help fire evacuees who have legal concerns or questions. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Bastrop Middle School at 509 Old Austin Hwy and at the Ascension Catholic Church at 905 Water Street in Bastrop. There is also a legal help hotline at 512-472-0279.
Thank you for doing this, Missy. It’s a dark time, indeed.
I donated today at HEB at the register and they’re also bringing food and supplies to the areas that need it.
Hope to see you at the event on Saturday.
Thinking about you and your Texan friends and family. Praying that all is getting better. Keep up your advocacy. Texas seems so far from Ohio… but please know someone here, hears your struggles.
Love your drive behind this!! Tweeted and praying friend!!
So sorry for everything Texas has to face, but what an amazing thing you are doing!
Thank you for your efforts. My friends and family down south appreciate you!
I’m hosting a giveaway fundraiser tomorrow on my blog if anyone is interested! iwilltouchthesky.blogspot.com!