Sunday, September 3rd - Labor Day - Blankets and Bedding

This week is Labor Day weekend and the hymns are all about vocation and commitment. But what's really on my mind this week is another call to labor - the Texas coast and coastal plains have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey. There is a lot of work to do and will be a lot of work to do for a long time to come. While we should pray for the victims of the storm, we should also roll up our sleeves and get to work. And remember that while donations and funds are flowing in now, the communities will need a lot of support after the news moves on to the next thing. But for now, here are some charities you may consider donating to:

Blood drives:
South Texas Blood and Tissue Center
Carter BloodCare

Food banks:
Houston Food Bank

Food Bank of Corpus Christi

General relief charities:
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Red Cross

United Way

AmeriCares

Direct Relief

LGBTQ Disaster Relief Fund

Texas Diaper Bank

Animals:
Houston SPCA

San Antonio Humane Society

Houston Humane Society

With all of images on the television and Facebook, I'm reminded of the story I told earlier this summer about Gander, Newfoundland, taking in 7,000 stranded passengers from international flights on September 11th. A new musical, "Come From Away," depicts their story. One song in particular has been on my mind as calls for donations and volunteer work come in. I'll leave you with that. Think about what you can do and how you can help, however small you think it may be.